Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

दुर्लभा भक्तिः सूर्ये वा दुर्लभं तस्य चार्चनम् । दानं च दुर्लभं तस्मै ततो होमश्च दुर्लभः

Transliteration

durlabhā bhaktiḥ sūrye vā durlabhaṃ tasya cārcanam | dānaṃ ca durlabhaṃ tasmai tato homaśca durlabhaḥ

Translation

Rare est la dévotion envers Sūrya; rare aussi est son adoration. Rare est l’aumône offerte pour Lui, et plus rare encore l’offrande au feu (homa) accomplie pour Lui.

Word by Word

• durlabhā: rare/difficult to obtain
• durlabhā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with bhaktiḥ)

• bhaktiḥ: devotion
• bhaktiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• sūrye: in/for the Sun
• sūrye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• vā: or/indeed
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle)

• durlabham: rare
• durlabham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with arcanam)

• tasya: of him/of that (Sun)
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• arcanam: worship
• arcanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcana (प्रातिपदिक; √arc पूजायाम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• dānam: gift/charity
• dānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक; √dā दाने)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• durlabham: rare
• durlabham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with dānam)

• tasmai: to him/to that (Sun)
• tasmai: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative), एकवचनम्

• tataḥ: thereafter/therefore
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्ययम् (thereupon/therefore)

• homaḥ: fire-offering (homa)
• homaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• durlabhaḥ: rare
• durlabhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with homaḥ)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A four-panel visual: (1) devotee in meditation (bhakti), (2) offering flowers at Sūrya altar (arcana), (3) giving alms (dāna), (4) tending a small sacred fire (homa) under the sun—each labeled ‘durlabha’.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion expressed through worship, charity, and homa is uncommon; the verse urges valuing and undertaking these higher disciplines.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse discusses devotional and ritual rarity in general.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (formal worship), dāna (charity), and homa (fire-offering) dedicated to Sūrya.