Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

अशुचिं भूमिमासाद्य गंधपुष्पादिकं महत् । पतितं चार्प्पितं तेन शिवाय परमात्मने

Transliteration

aśuciṃ bhūmimāsādya gaṃdhapuṣpādikaṃ mahat | patitaṃ cārppitaṃ tena śivāya paramātmane

Translation

Parvenu sur un sol impur, même une grande offrande—parfum, fleurs et autres—tombée à terre, il la présenta néanmoins à Śiva, le Soi suprême.

Word by Word

• अशुचिम्: impure
• अशुचिम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘भूमिम्’)

• भूमिम्: ground/earth
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आसाद्य: having reached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund/absolutive, ल्यप्); “having reached/approached”

• गन्धपुष्पादिकम्: fragrances, flowers, and the like
• गन्धपुष्पादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-पुष्प-आदिक (प्रातिपदिक; गन्ध + पुष्प + आदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (“fragrance, flowers, etc.” as a collection)

• महत्: great/abundant
• महत्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘गन्धपुष्पादिकम्’)

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (past participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (describing the offering)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्प्पितम्: offered
• अर्प्पितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्प् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (past participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• शिवाय: to Shiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Lord
• परमात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; परम + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual Śaiva tīrtha teaching)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bali bends to pick up fallen flowers and fragrance from an impure spot, then offers them with folded hands to a Śiva-liṅga; the ground dark, the offering radiant, showing sanctification through devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere devotion sanctifies the act of worship; intention can outweigh adverse external circumstances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kedārakhaṇḍa, Śiva-worship connected to Kedāra’s sanctity is emphasized, though the verse itself is general.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-pūjā through offerings of gandha and puṣpa is indicated (arpana), highlighting heartfelt worship.