Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

श्रद्धया समलंकृत्य भूषणैर्द्विजदंपती । भोजयित्वा महार्हान्नैः प्रीयेतां मंगलेश्वरौ

Transliteration

śraddhayā samalaṃkṛtya bhūṣaṇairdvijadaṃpatī | bhojayitvā mahārhānnaiḥ prīyetāṃ maṃgaleśvarau

Translation

En parant avec foi le couple de dvijas d’ornements, puis en les nourrissant de mets précieux, on réjouit le couple divin Maṅgaleśvara et Maṅgalā.

Word by Word

• śraddhayā: with faith
• śraddhayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with faith/devotion)

• samalaṃkṛtya: having adorned
• samalaṃkṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-alaṃ-kṛ (सम् + अलं + कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive); ‘having adorned/ornamented’

• bhūṣaṇaiḥ: with ornaments
• bhūṣaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with ornaments)

• dvija-daṃpatī: the Brahmin couple
• dvija-daṃpatī: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija + daṃpatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः—द्विजयोः दंपती (the Brahmin couple); Object of bhojayitvā

• bhojayitvā: having fed
• bhojayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु, causative bhojay-)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having fed/caused to eat’

• mahārha-annaiḥ: with excellent foods
• mahārha-annaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahārha + anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः—महārhāni annāni (very valuable/excellent foods)

• prīyetām: may (they two) be pleased
• prīyetām: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (प्री धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘may (they) be pleased’

• maṃgaleśvarau: the two Maṅgaleśvaras (divine lords)
• maṃgaleśvarau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃgaleśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः—मङ्गलस्य ईश्वरौ (the two Lords of auspiciousness); subject of prīyetām

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṅgaleśvara (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa couple is respectfully seated on a clean platform; the votary adorns them with ornaments and offers an abundant meal; in the background, Maṅgaleśvara liṅga and Maṅgalā’s presence are suggested as the pleased divine pair.

Characters & Entities

• Maṅgaleśvara
• Maṅgalā/Gaurī
• brāhmaṇa couple (dvijadaṃpatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring the worthy with śraddhā and hospitality is itself an act that pleases the divine and increases auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s Maṅgalāgaurī/maṅgala-devatā worship setting in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adorn and feed a brāhmaṇa couple with excellent food as part of the vrata.