Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

शिवालये तु पतितं कुशं निक्षिप्य दानवः । स्नानगन्धार्चनैर्धूपैर्गीतवाद्यैरतोषयत्

Transliteration

śivālaye tu patitaṃ kuśaṃ nikṣipya dānavaḥ | snānagandhārcanairdhūpairgītavādyairatoṣayat

Translation

Ayant déposé Kuśa, gisant sans vie, dans un sanctuaire de Śiva, le dānava apaisa Śaṅkara par des rites d’ablution, des parfums, l’adoration, l’encens, et des chants accompagnés d’instruments.

Word by Word

• शिवालये: in the temple of Śiva
• शिवालये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य आलयः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Karma qualifier (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त; √पत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘कुशम्’ विशेषण

• कुशम्: Kuśa (person)
• कुशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• निक्षिप्य: having placed
• निक्षिप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having placed/laid down’

• दानवः: the demon
• दानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्नानगन्धार्चनैः: with bathing, perfumes, and worship
• स्नानगन्धार्चनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान-गन्ध-अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; घटकाः: स्नान + गन्ध + अर्चन

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गीतवाद्यैः: with songs and musical instruments
• गीतवाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत-वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; घटकाः: गीत + वाद्य

• अतोषयत्: pleased (propitiated)
• अतोषयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense not required here (to please)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Dvārakā Māhātmya; specific speaker not explicit in this snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (Śiva-ālaya)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a Śiva-temple, the demon places the fallen Kuśa down and begins elaborate worship: bathing rites, fragrant unguents, flower offerings, incense smoke curling upward, and musicians singing with instruments to please Śaṅkara.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śivālaya (Śiva temple)
• Kuśa (Daitya)
• Dānava (demon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even those of hostile nature can be transformed through sincere temple worship and devotional service to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s sacred sphere is implied, with special emphasis on a Śivālaya (Śiva shrine/temple) within the holy region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Temple propitiation through snāna (ablution), gandha (fragrance), arcana (worship), dhūpa (incense), and gīta-vādya (devotional music).