Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

मधुदूर्वाक्षतैहोमैर्ग्रहहोमादनंतरम् । गणानां त्वेति मंत्रेण दशसाहस्रिकस्तथा

Transliteration

madhudūrvākṣataihomairgrahahomādanaṃtaram | gaṇānāṃ tveti maṃtreṇa daśasāhasrikastathā

Translation

Après le graha-homa, qu’on offre des oblations de homa avec du miel, l’herbe dūrvā et l’akṣata (riz intact) ; puis, avec le mantra « gaṇānāṃ tvā… », qu’on accomplisse de même le compte des dix mille (japa/offrandes).

Word by Word

• मधु-दूर्वा-अक्षतैः: with honey, dūrvā-grass, and unbroken rice
• मधु-दूर्वा-अक्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—मधु च दूर्वा च अक्षताः च (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• होमैः: by/with oblations (homas)
• होमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ग्रह-होमात्: after the graha-homa (planetary oblation)
• ग्रह-होमात्: Apadana (Ablative/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—ग्रहाणां होमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Avyaya (Temporal/कालसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• गणानाम्: of the Gaṇas
• गणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• मन्त्रेण: with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दश-साहस्रिकः: ten-thousandfold/consisting of ten thousand (recitations)
• दश-साहस्रिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + साहस्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—दशसहस्रसंख्यकः (द्विगु)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Avyaya (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Deductively: a Purāṇic narrator/instructor addressing a king

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha region)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (rājan/nṛpa) addressed in the passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fire-altar at a western tīrtha: priests pour honey and place dūrvā and unbroken rice into the flames; the yajamāna sits nearby with folded hands as the ‘gaṇānāṃ tvā…’ mantra is repeated in a measured count.

Characters & Entities

• graha (planetary forces)
• dūrvā
• madhu (honey)
• akṣata
• mantra: gaṇānāṃ tvā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual practice integrates cosmic appeasement (graha-śānti) with devotion to Gaṇeśa to secure clarity and auspicious outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to Arbuda-kṣetra’s Purāṇic ritual tradition within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After graha-homa, offer homa with honey, dūrvā, and akṣata; then perform a 10,000-count rite using the “gaṇānāṃ tvā…” mantra.