Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

पूरयित्वा समंताच्च लोकपालान्यथाक्रमम् । स्तंभान्संपूजयत्पश्चाद्गन्धमाल्यानुलेपनैः

Transliteration

pūrayitvā samaṃtācca lokapālānyathākramam | staṃbhānsaṃpūjayatpaścādgandhamālyānulepanaiḥ

Translation

Après avoir fait des offrandes tout autour aux Lokapālas selon l’ordre prescrit, qu’il vénère ensuite les piliers avec parfums, guirlandes et onguents.

Word by Word

• पूरयित्वा: having filled
• पूरयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √पॄ/पूर् (धातु: to fill) + णिच् + त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having filled’

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘on all sides’)

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

• लोकपालान्: the guardians of the worlds (dikpālas)
• लोकपालान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पालाः)

• यथाक्रमम्: in proper sequence
• यथाक्रमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘in due order’)

• स्तम्भान्: pillars
• स्तम्भान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• संपूजयत्: worships / should worship (contextual injunction)
• संपूजयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘afterwards’)

• गन्धमाल्यानुलेपनैः: with perfumes, garlands, and unguents
• गन्धमाल्यानुलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + माल्य + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (गन्धं च माल्यं च अनुलेपनं च)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A consecrated ritual ground at a tīrtha: the yajamāna and priests circle the space, offering flowers and incense to the eight Lokapālas at the directions; then they anoint and garland four or eight decorated pillars marking the boundary.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Lokapālas
• Stambha (pillars)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred giving is performed in harmony with cosmic order—honoring the directions symbolizes respect for the world’s guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The text is within a tīrtha-māhātmya framework, but the verse emphasizes rite-sequence rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offerings to the Lokapālas in sequence, followed by pillar-worship using fragrance, garlands, and unguents.