Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

कर्णिकारैश्च कह्लारैः करवीरैः सितारुणैः । चंपकैः केतकीभिश्च जपा कुसुमकैस्तथा

Transliteration

karṇikāraiśca kahlāraiḥ karavīraiḥ sitāruṇaiḥ | caṃpakaiḥ ketakībhiśca japā kusumakaistathā

Translation

കർണികാര പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ, കഹ്ലാര താമരകൾ, വെള്ള-ചുവപ്പ് കരവീരപ്പൂക്കൾ, ചമ്പകം, കേതകി, ജപാ (ചെമ്പരത്തി) പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് ഭക്തിയോടെ പൂജിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• कर्णिकारैः: with karṇikāra flowers
• कर्णिकारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

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

• कह्लारैः: with kahlāra (lotus) flowers
• कह्लारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कह्लार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• करवीरैः: with oleander flowers
• करवीरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• सितारुणैः: white and red (in color)
• सितारुणैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित + अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्—(कर्णिकारादीनाम्) Instrumental plural adjective; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (white-and-red)

• चंपकैः: with campaka flowers
• चंपकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चंपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• केतकीभिः: with ketakī flowers
• केतकीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

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

• जपा: hibiscus (japā)
• जपा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (जातिनाम; समुच्चयार्थे); Nominative singular used in listing

• कुसुमकैः: with small flowers/blossoms
• कुसुमकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—उपमान/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: likewise/also)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator within Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa (deductively a Purāṇic teacher addressing a King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa) implied by surrounding verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Devī altar richly adorned with mixed blossoms—golden karṇikāra, pale kahlāra lotuses, white-red karavīra, campaka, ketakī, and red hibiscus—arranged in garlands and heaps before the Goddess.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmātā
• Dharmaputrikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offering flowers symbolizes heartfelt reverence; beauty in worship reflects attentiveness to the Divine Mother.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya’s Devi-worship setting is implied; the verse enumerates offerings rather than geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer specific flowers—karṇikāra, kahlāra, karavīra (white/red), campaka, ketakī, and japā.