Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

सुमनोगन्धपुष्पैश्च देवानभ्यर्च्य मानवः । ततोग्नेस्तर्पणं कुर्याद्द्याच्चापि बलींस्तथा

Transliteration

sumanogandhapuṣpaiśca devānabhyarcya mānavaḥ | tatognestarpaṇaṃ kuryāddyāccāpi balīṃstathā

Translation

Après avoir honoré les dieux avec une dévotion au cœur pur et des fleurs parfumées, l’homme doit ensuite apaiser Agni par l’offrande, et présenter aussi les bali prescrits.

Word by Word

• सुमनोगन्धपुष्पैः: with fragrant flowers
• सुमनोगन्धपुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमनस् + गन्ध + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (सुमनसां गन्धयुक्तानि पुष्पाणि); English: instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक; English: 'and'

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; English: accusative plural

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriya (Auxiliary action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-सम)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (ल्यप्), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया; English: gerund 'having worshipped'

• मानवः: a man
• मानवः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; English: nominative singular

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Sequence marker/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक; English: 'then, thereafter'

• अग्नेः: of Agni (fire)
• अग्नेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; English: genitive singular

• तर्पणम्: satiation-offering (tarpana)
• तर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक; √तृप् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; English: accusative singular

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; English: optative 3rd sg 'should do'

• द्यात्: should give
• द्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; English: optative 3rd sg 'should give'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक; English: 'and'

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Addition/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ; English: 'also'

• बलीन्: offerings (bali)
• बलीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; English: accusative plural

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चय; English: 'likewise'

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa instructional discourse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Practitioner/householder

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worship scene: a devotee offers fragrant flowers at a small altar with deity image; nearby a lamp or small fire represents Agni; small leaf-bowls of bali are arranged at the edges of the courtyard, indicating distribution after worship.

Characters & Entities

• Deva
• Agni
• Bali (offering)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is enacted through ordered worship—devotion to the devas, reverence to Agni, and sharing through bali rather than private consumption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is identified; the verse teaches a standard puranic household liturgy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Deva-pūjā with flowers, followed by Agni-tarpaṇa, and then the giving of bali portions.