Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

पूजोपकरणैर्द्रव्यैर्घंटादर्पणचामरैः । चित्रध्वजपताकाभिर्नृत्यवाद्यसुगायनैः

Transliteration

pūjopakaraṇairdravyairghaṃṭādarpaṇacāmaraiḥ | citradhvajapatākābhirnṛtyavādyasugāyanaiḥ

Translation

Avec les matières et les instruments du culte—cloches, miroirs et chasse-mouches (cāmara) ; avec des bannières et des drapeaux aux couleurs éclatantes ; avec la danse, la musique instrumentale et le chant mélodieux—

Word by Word

• पूजा-उपकरणैः: with implements of worship
• पूजा-उपकरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन / Neuter, Instrumental plural

• द्रव्यैः: with materials/substances
• द्रव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन / Neuter, Instrumental plural

• घण्टा-दर्पण-चामरैः: with bells, mirrors, and yak-tail fans
• घण्टा-दर्पण-चामरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्पण (प्रातिपदिक) + चामर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन / Dvandva, Neuter, Instrumental plural

• चित्र-ध्वज-पताकाभिः: with colorful flags and banners
• चित्र-ध्वज-पताकाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + पताका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन / Dvandva, Feminine, Instrumental plural

• नृत्य-वाद्य-सु-गायनैः: with dancing, music/instruments, and fine singing
• नृत्य-वाद्य-सु-गायनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + गायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (सु-गायन = कर्मधारय-पूर्वपद); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन / Neuter, Instrumental plural

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Triviṣṭapa Liṅga (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Temple interior/exterior alive with banners and flags; priests ring bells and wave cāmaras; a mirror reflects the liṅga’s lamp-lit form; devotees sing while musicians play drums and cymbals; dancers perform in devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Ghaṇṭā (bell)
• Cāmara (fly-whisk)
• Dhvaja-patākā (flags)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship is holistic—material offerings and sacred aesthetics (sound, song, procession symbols) are treated as devotional service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Kāśī Śiva-liṅga shrine within the chapter’s pilgrimage sequence; the verse describes the manner of its festive worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use pūjā implements (bell, mirror, fly-whisk), raise banners/flags, and accompany worship with dance, music, and devotional singing.