Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

पंचामृतेन संस्नाप्य तथा गन्धैर्वि लिप्य च । अर्चयामास दैत्येन्द्रो ह्यनेककुसुमोत्करैः

Transliteration

paṃcāmṛtena saṃsnāpya tathā gandhairvi lipya ca | arcayāmāsa daityendro hyanekakusumotkaraiḥ

Translation

Le seigneur des Daityas baigna (la divinité) de pañcāmṛta, oignit (l’effigie) de parfums, puis l’adora avec des monceaux de fleurs variées.

Word by Word

• पञ्च-अमृतेन: with pañcāmṛta (fivefold nectar)
• पञ्च-अमृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (five nectars)

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed/abluted (him)
• संस्नाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); रूप: -य (absolutive in -ya)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• गन्धैः: with fragrances, perfumes
• गन्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वि: apart, thoroughly (prefix)
• वि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग (preverb)

• लिप्य: having anointed/smeared
• लिप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); रूप: -य

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

• अर्चयामास: worshipped
• अर्चयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दैत्य-इन्द्रः: lord of the Daityas
• दैत्य-इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• अनेक-कुसुम-उत्करैः: with heaps of many flowers
• अनेक-कुसुम-उत्करैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (within Prabhāsa-kṣetra narrative frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A powerful daitya-king performs a formal Śiva-pūjā: the liṅga is bathed in pañcāmṛta, anointed with fragrant paste, and covered with heaps of flowers; attendants hold vessels and garlands in a sanctum lit by lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Daityendra (Kuśa implied)
• Pañcāmṛta (ritual substance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional worship expressed through abhiṣeka and offerings is upheld as a potent means of seeking divine favor, especially when done with reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Dvārakā Māhātmya framework, the verse supports the sanctity of worship practices performed in the sacred Dvārakā region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka with pañcāmṛta, anointing with fragrant substances (gandha), and arcana with abundant flowers.