Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कुंकुमादिभिरभ्यर्च्य श्रीमात्रे भक्तिपूर्वकम् । वितशाठ्यं न कुर्वीत कुले संततिवृद्धये

Transliteration

kuṃkumādibhirabhyarcya śrīmātre bhaktipūrvakam | vitaśāṭhyaṃ na kurvīta kule saṃtativṛddhaye

Translation

കുങ്കുമാദികളാൽ ഭക്തിപൂർവ്വം ശ്രീമാതാവിനെ പൂജിച്ച്, ചെലവിലോ അർപ്പണത്തിലോ വഞ്ചന/കപടം ചെയ്യരുത്; കുലസന്തതി വർദ്ധിക്കാനാണ് ഇത്.

Word by Word

• कुङ्कुमादिभिः: with vermilion etc.
• कुङ्कुमादिभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; आदि-समासः—कुङ्कुमं च आदयः च (etc.); तृतीया—साधन/उपकरण

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अर्च् (धातु) → अभ्यर्च्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having worshipped)

• श्रीमात्रे: to the revered Mother
• श्रीमात्रे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; श्रीः माता यस्याः/या (honored mother; Lakṣmī-like mother)

• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: devoutly
• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव—क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial): भक्त्या पूर्वं/भक्त्या सह (with devotion)

• वितशाठ्यम्: deceit/duplicity
• वितशाठ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित (प्रातिपदिक) + शाठ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शाठ्यं वितम्/विततं (extended deceit)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—निषेध (negation particle)

• कुर्वीत: should do
• कुर्वीत: Vidhi (Prohibition with na/निषेधविधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• संततिवृद्धये: for the increase of progeny
• संततिवृद्धये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतति (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—संततेः वृद्धिः (increase of progeny)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before a sanctum of the Mother, the devotee applies bright red kuṅkuma to the Devī’s feet/yantra, offering flowers and lamp; a ledger/measure-vessel nearby symbolizes honest giving; the atmosphere is maternal and protective.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmātṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual merit depends on sincerity; devotion without deceit supports harmony and continuity in family life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a dharma injunction within the Dharmāraṇya frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional worship of Śrīmātṛ with kuṅkuma etc., coupled with an ethical rule: do not cheat or be miserly in what is offered.