Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

चिंतयित्वाथ मार्त्तंडमुद्यंतं प्रणमेत्सदा । गंधं पुष्पं च तांबूलं शाकं पक्वफलादिकम्

Transliteration

ciṃtayitvātha mārttaṃḍamudyaṃtaṃ praṇametsadā | gaṃdhaṃ puṣpaṃ ca tāṃbūlaṃ śākaṃ pakvaphalādikam

Translation

പിന്നീട് ഉദയിക്കുന്ന മാർത്താണ്ഡനെ (സൂര്യനെ) ധ്യാനിച്ച് എപ്പോഴും പ്രണമിക്കണം; സുഗന്ധം, പുഷ്പം, താംബൂലം, ശാകം, പാകഫലാദി എന്നിവ സമർപ്പിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• चिंतयित्वा: having contemplated
• चिंतयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु, नामधातु/चिन्त्-प्रेरण)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: चिन्तय् (चिन्त्/चिन्तयति), क्रियाविशेषणभावः

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय (then)

• मार्त्तण्डम्: Mārtaṇḍa (the Sun)
• मार्त्तण्डम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्त्तण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उद्यन्तम्: rising
• उद्यन्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + यत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: उद्; विशेषणम् (मार्त्तण्डम्)

• प्रणमेत्: should bow (to)
• प्रणमेत्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातु: नम्, उपसर्ग: प्र

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• गन्धम्: fragrance (sandal/paste)
• गन्धम्: Karman (Object/Offering item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पुष्पम्: flower
• पुष्पम्: Karman (Object/Offering item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• ताम्बूलम्: betel (leaf)
• ताम्बूलम्: Karman (Object/Offering item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शाकम्: vegetable/greens
• शाकम्: Karman (Object/Offering item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पक्वफलादिकम्: ripe fruits and the like
• पक्वफलादिकम्: Karman (Object/Offering item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्व (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समाहार/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (पक्वफलम् आदि यस्य तत्)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative instruction within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa; speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prātaḥ-sūrya-darśana (as nitya-tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee on a riverbank or courtyard at first light, hands folded toward the emerging solar disc; a small offering tray with flowers, sandal paste, betel leaves, greens, and ripe fruits; rays spreading like a mandala across water and sky.

Characters & Entities

• Mārtaṇḍa (Sūrya)
• Offerings (gandha, puṣpa, tāmbūla, śāka, phala)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily discipline begins with mindful sunrise worship—recognizing the Sun as a visible form of divine order sustaining life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the instruction is universally applicable to daily practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sunrise contemplation and prostration, along with simple offerings such as fragrance, flowers, betel, greens, and fruits.