Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

वनस्पति रसो दिव्यो गंधाढ्यो गन्ध उत्तमः । आघ्रेयः सर्वदेवानां धूपोऽयं प्रतिगृह्यताम्

Transliteration

vanaspati raso divyo gaṃdhāḍhyo gandha uttamaḥ | āghreyaḥ sarvadevānāṃ dhūpo'yaṃ pratigṛhyatām

Translation

Cet encens est une essence divine des plantes, riche de parfum : une senteur excellente, digne d’être respirée par tous les dieux. Puissiez-vous accepter cet encens.

Word by Word

• वनस्पति: forest-plant, tree
• वनस्पति: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘(this) plant/tree’ (as incense source)

• रसः: sap, essence
• रसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular

• दिव्यः: divine
• दिव्यः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; qualifies ‘rasaḥ’

• गन्धाढ्यः: rich in fragrance
• गन्धाढ्यः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; समास: गन्ध-आढ्य (तत्पुरुष) ‘rich in fragrance’

• गन्धः: fragrance
• गन्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular

• उत्तमः: excellent, best
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; qualifies ‘gandhaḥ’

• आघ्रेयः: to be smelled, fragrant-worthy
• आघ्रेयः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √घ्रा (धातु) + यत्/एय (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘fit to be smelled’

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — genitive plural; समास: सर्व-देव (तत्पुरुष) ‘of all the gods’

• धूपः: incense
• धूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — nominative singular; demonstrative ‘this’

• प्रतिगृह्यताम्: please accept
• प्रतिगृह्यताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person/मध्यमपुरुष), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘may you accept/receive’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; verse reads like an offering-formula)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close focus on a golden incense burner; thick, fragrant smoke rises like a garland; devas subtly present as luminous witnesses receiving the scent.

Characters & Entities

• Sarva-devas
• Dhūpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual offerings are sanctified by intention and purity; incense symbolizes elevating sensory experience into reverence for the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tirtha is named; the verse is a liturgical praise of dhūpa within the chapter’s māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer dhūpa while reciting an acceptance-invocation: “May this incense be accepted,” acknowledging it as worthy for the devas.