Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

प्रातः स्नात्वा तु हेमंते गौरीं संपूज्य भक्तितः । बलिपूजोपहारैश्च विप्रदानादिभिस्तथा

Transliteration

prātaḥ snātvā tu hemaṃte gaurīṃ saṃpūjya bhaktitaḥ | balipūjopahāraiśca vipradānādibhistathā

Translation

હેમંત ઋતુમાં પ્રાતઃ સ્નાન કરીને તેણે ભક્તિથી ગૌરીની પૂજા કરી; બલિ-પૂજા તથા ઉપહાર અર્પણ કર્યા અને બ્રાહ્મણોને દાનાદિ પણ આપ્યાં.

Word by Word

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक — Indeclinable; temporal adverb

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु); क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालक्रिया — having bathed

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (अवधारण/विरोध) — particle

• हेमन्ते: in Hemanta (winter season)
• हेमन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गौरीम्: Gaurī
• गौरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• संपूज्य: having worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु); ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालक्रिया — having worshipped

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Ablative, Singular; हेतौ

• बलि-पूजा-उपहारैः: with offerings, worship, and gifts
• बलि-पूजा-उपहारैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि + पूजा + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; द्वन्द्व-समास (बलयः च पूजाः च उपहाराः च)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक — conjunction

• विप्र-दान-आदिभिः: with gifts to Brahmins and the like
• विप्र-दान-आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + दान + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; तत्पुरुष-समास (विप्रेभ्यः दानम् इत्यादि)

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक — Indeclinable; adverb

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At winter dawn, the devotee emerges from sacred waters, then approaches Gaurī’s shrine with lamps, flowers, bali offerings, and gifts prepared for brāhmaṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-dharma is holistic—purification (snāna), devotion (pūjā), and generosity (dāna) together complete worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha context is assumed by the chapter, but this particular verse focuses on the regimen (dawn bath and worship) rather than naming the location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dawn bathing in hemanta, worship of Gaurī with bali and offerings, plus vipra-dāna (donations to brāhmaṇas).