Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

सदोमध्ये तु तां स्थाप्य पूजयित्वा विलेपनैः । वस्त्रैराभरणैश्चैव गन्धपुष्पानुलेपनैः

Transliteration

sadomadhye tu tāṃ sthāpya pūjayitvā vilepanaiḥ | vastrairābharaṇaiścaiva gandhapuṣpānulepanaiḥ

Translation

«…l’ayant installée au milieu de la salle sacrificielle, qu’on la vénère par des onguents et des parures : en offrant vêtements et bijoux, et en l’oignant de parfums et de fleurs.»

Word by Word

• सदःमध्ये: in the midst of the assembly
• सदःमध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस् + मध्ये (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सदस्-नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; मध्ये-नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (in the middle of the assembly)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थे (but/indeed)

• ताम्: her/that (female)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्थाप्य: having placed
• स्थाप्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; अर्थः—स्थापयित्वा (having placed/installed)

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; (having worshipped)

• विलेपनैः: with unguents/pastes
• विलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वस्त्रैः: with garments
• वस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• आभरणैः: with ornaments
• आभरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• गन्धपुष्पानुलेपनैः: with fragrant flowers and anointing substances
• गन्धपुष्पानुलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + पुष्प + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गन्धैः पुष्पैः च अनुलेपनैः इति समाहारः)

Speaker

Udgātṛ (within Sūta’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A consecrated female deity-form (Devī/śakti) is installed at the center of a yajña-śālā; attendants present unguents, garments, ornaments, and trays of fragrant flowers while the officiant performs upacāras.

Characters & Entities

• Udgātṛ
• Audumbarī
• Sadas
• Gandha
• Puṣpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites are perfected through reverent worship (pūjā) and proper offerings; devotion and ritual beauty support dharma in a tīrtha setting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction applies to yajñas performed “here” in the chapter’s kṣetra, but the tīrtha name is not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Install her in the center of the yajña hall and worship with unguents, garments, ornaments, and offerings of fragrance and flowers.