Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

प्राजापत्यं तु पाठाद्यं शिवपुष्पं तु वासना । अहिंसा प्रथमं पुष्पं पुष्पमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः

Transliteration

prājāpatyaṃ tu pāṭhādyaṃ śivapuṣpaṃ tu vāsanā | ahiṃsā prathamaṃ puṣpaṃ puṣpamindriyanigrahaḥ

Translation

പ്രാജാപത്യ അർപ്പണം പാഠം മുതലായവ; ‘ശിവപുഷ്പം’ വാസന (ശുദ്ധ സുഗന്ധസ്വഭാവം) ആകുന്നു. അഹിംസ ആദ്യ പുഷ്പം; ഇന്ദ്രിയനിഗ്രഹവും പുഷ്പം തന്നേ.

Word by Word

• प्राजापत्यम्: Prajāpati-related
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तु: but; and
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• पाठाद्यम्: recitation, etc.
• पाठाद्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाठ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; आदि-तत्पुरुष (पाठ-आदि यत्)

• शिवपुष्पम्: Śiva-flower
• शिवपुष्पम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य पुष्पम्)

• तु: but; and
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• वासना: fragrance; perfume
• वासना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नाम (feminine nominative singular)

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नाम

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण

• पुष्पम्: flower
• पुष्पम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नाम

• पुष्पम्: flower
• पुष्पम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नाम

• इन्द्रियनिग्रहः: restraint of the senses
• इन्द्रियनिग्रहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रियाणां निग्रहः)

Speaker

Unspecified (Revākhaṇḍa narrative voice; teaching to a ruler is suggested by later address 'narādhipa')

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā tīrtha (contextual)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim before a Śiva-liṅga offers no physical flower but folds hands in vow; a scroll/manuscript indicates pāṭha; a gentle aura or wafting perfume symbolizes ‘Śiva-flower’ as vāsanā; animals nearby unharmed, reinforcing ahiṃsā.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Prajāpati (category reference)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest worship includes inner offerings—ethical virtues like ahiṃsā and indriya-nigraha—valued as ‘flowers’ for Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Revā Khaṇḍa setting, associating Narmadā-region Śaiva practice with inner purity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Alongside external rites (recitation), one should offer inner ‘flowers’: non-violence and restraint of the senses.