Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

बिल्वार्कपुष्पैर्धत्तूरकुशकाशप्रसूनकैः । ऋतूद्भवैस्तथान्यैश्च पूजयित्वा महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

bilvārkapuṣpairdhattūrakuśakāśaprasūnakaiḥ | ṛtūdbhavaistathānyaiśca pūjayitvā maheśvaram

Translation

ബില്വവും അർക്കപുഷ്പങ്ങളും, ധത്തൂര, കുശ, കാശ പുഷ്പങ്ങളും, കൂടാതെ ഋതുജന്യമായ മറ്റു അർപ്പണങ്ങളും കൊണ്ട് മഹേശ്വരനെ പൂജിച്ച്—

Word by Word

• बिल्व-अर्क-पुष्पैः: with bilva and arka flowers
• बिल्व-अर्क-पुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (बिल्वपुष्पैः अर्कपुष्पैः)

• धत्तूर-कुश-काश-प्रसूनकैः: with datura, kuśa and kāśa blossoms
• धत्तूर-कुश-काश-प्रसूनकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धत्तूर (प्रातिपदिक) + कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + काश (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसूनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (धत्तूरप्रसूनकैः कुशप्रसूनकैः काशप्रसूनकैः)

• ऋतु-उद्भवैः: with those born in the seasons (seasonal flowers)
• ऋतु-उद्भवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘ऋतोः उद्भवाः’ = ऋतौ जातैः (seasonal)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: likewise)

• अन्यैः: with other (items)
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

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

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजयित्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया ‘पूज्य’

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continued)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (Narmadā-associated Śiva-arcana)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee at a riverbank Śiva shrine offering bilva, arka blossoms, dhattūra flowers, and grasses/flowers of kuśa and kāśa; baskets of seasonal blooms; Śiva-liṅga adorned with garlands.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Bilva
• Arka
• Dhattūra
• Kuśa
• Kāśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple, natural offerings—made with reverence—are honored in Śiva worship and align the devotee with sacred order (ṛtu, season).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Koṭīśvara’s Śaiva worship setting within the Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maheśvara-pūjā using bilva and arka flowers, dhattūra, kuśa and kāśa blossoms, and other seasonal offerings.