Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एकासनं समारूढौ कृत्वा गौरी महेश्वरौ । ततश्चाराधयामास समं पुष्पानुलेपनैः

Transliteration

ekāsanaṃ samārūḍhau kṛtvā gaurī maheśvarau | tataścārādhayāmāsa samaṃ puṣpānulepanaiḥ

Translation

Ayant préparé un seul siège pour que Gaurī et Maheśvara s’y assoient ensemble, il les adora ensuite conjointement, offrant des fleurs et des onguents parfumés.

Word by Word

• ekāsanam: one seat
• ekāsanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'एकम् आसनम्'

• samārūḍhau: having mounted, seated
• samārūḍhau: Kriyā (Predicate qualifier/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ā + ruh (रुह् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; 'having mounted/sat upon' (agreeing with dual subject)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive), 'having made/done'

• gaurī: Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• gaurī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• maheśvarau: the two great lords (Śiva and Pārvatī)
• maheśvarau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb: 'then/thereafter')

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ārādhayāmāsa: worshipped, propitiated
• ārādhayāmāsa: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + rādh (राध् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्सभूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative-like stem in usage 'ārādhay-' = 'worship'

• samam: together, equally
• samam: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण (adverbial accusative), 'equally/together'

• puṣpa: with flowers
• puṣpa: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (in compound-like coordination with anulepanaiḥ)

• anulepanaiḥ: with unguents/anointments
• anulepanaiḥ: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anulepana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; 'ointments/anointings'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king prepares a single ornate seat; Gaurī and Maheśvara sit together; he offers flowers and sandal paste, performing synchronized worship with deep humility.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is worshipped in fullness along with Śakti; honoring the divine couple together reflects integral Purāṇic devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not name a site; it describes the worship practice occurring within the chapter’s sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Joint worship of Gaurī and Maheśvara: preparing a single seat (ekāsana) and offering flowers and anointing substances.