Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 136

Devanagari script

सुगन्धिकुसुमैर्धूपैस्तथा कर्पूरकुङ्कुमैः । पूजयेद्विधिना देवं मन्त्रयुक्तेन भामिनी

Transliteration

sugandhikusumairdhūpaistathā karpūrakuṅkumaiḥ | pūjayedvidhinā devaṃ mantrayuktena bhāminī

Translation

ഹേ ഭാമിനീ! സുഗന്ധപുഷ്പങ്ങൾ, ധൂപം, കൂടാതെ കർപ്പൂരം കുങ്കുമം എന്നിവകൊണ്ട്, മന്ത്രസഹിതമായ വിധിപ്രകാരം ദേവനെ പൂജിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• सुगन्धिकुसुमैः: with fragrant flowers
• सुगन्धिकुसुमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्धि + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with fragrant flowers)

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with incense)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय; adverb (and also)

• कर्पूरकुङ्कुमैः: with camphor and saffron
• कर्पूरकुङ्कुमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूर + कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with camphor and saffron/vermilion)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg (should worship)

• विधिना: by the prescribed method
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by the proper method)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• मन्त्रयुक्तेन: accompanied by mantras
• मन्त्रयुक्तेन: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र + युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; युज् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; विधिना-विशेषण (with mantras)

• भामिनि: O lovely lady
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular (O fair lady)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Madhukā/Lalitā vrata pūjā (Śiva-Umā worship)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: bhāminī (addressed lady)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up ritual worship: trays of fragrant blossoms, curling incense smoke, camphor flame (ārati), saffron/kuṅkuma bowls; the devotee offers with mantra while the installed deity receives garlands.

Characters & Entities

• flowers (kusuma)
• incense (dhūpa)
• camphor (karpūra)
• saffron (kuṅkuma)
• mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship unites devotion and discipline: offerings (upacāras) become potent when joined with mantra and correct method.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s Narmadā-region setting is implicit; the verse emphasizes the pūjā method rather than a named shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform mantra-accompanied worship using fragrant flowers, incense, camphor, and kuṅkuma.