Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

गन्धमाल्यैरलंकृत्य वस्त्रधूपादिवासितम् । भोजयेत्पायसान्नेन कृसरेणाथ भक्तितः

Transliteration

gandhamālyairalaṃkṛtya vastradhūpādivāsitam | bhojayetpāyasānnena kṛsareṇātha bhaktitaḥ

Translation

ഗന്ധവും മാല്യവും കൊണ്ട് അലങ്കരിച്ച്, ധൂപാദികളാൽ സുഗന്ധിതമായ വസ്ത്രങ്ങൾ അർപ്പിച്ച്, ഭക്തിയോടെ പായസാന്നവും കൃസരയും നൽകി ഭോജനമൊരുക്കണം.

Word by Word

• गन्धमाल्यैः: with perfumes and garlands
• गन्धमाल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गन्धैश्च माल्यैश्च)

• अलंकृत्य: having adorned
• अलंकृत्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अलम् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• वस्त्रधूपादिवासितम्: perfumed with clothes, incense, etc.
• वस्त्रधूपादिवासितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्र + धूप + आदि + वासित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः (वस्त्र-धूप-आदि-वासितम् = वस्त्रधूपादिभिः वासितम्), विशेषण

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: cause to eat)

• पायसान्नेन: with sweet rice (milk-rice food)
• पायसान्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (पायसात्मकम् अन्नम्)

• कृसरेण: with kṛsara (a rice/khichdi dish)
• कृसरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक-निपात (then/thereupon)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion/devoutly
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa-sattama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A decorated dining setting: brāhmaṇa couple seated on āsanas, garlanded; attendants present fragrant cloth, incense smoke curls; bowls of pāyasa and kṛsara are served with reverence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional hospitality—honoring guests with dignity and offerings—functions as a sacred act that draws auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the rite connected to the tīrtha introduced earlier; it does not specify the tīrtha’s name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adorn and honor the invited guests with garlands, perfumes, scented garments, and feed them pāyasa and kṛsara with devotion.