Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

स्नपयामास देवेशं सुगंधस्नपनैर्बहु । सहस्रकृत्वो देवेशं चंदनैर्यक्षकर्दमैः

Transliteration

snapayāmāsa deveśaṃ sugaṃdhasnapanairbahu | sahasrakṛtvo deveśaṃ caṃdanairyakṣakardamaiḥ

Translation

അവൻ ദേവേശ്വരനെ അനവധി സുഗന്ധസ്നപനങ്ങളാൽ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും സ്നപിപ്പിച്ചു; കൂടാതെ ആയിരം പ്രാവശ്യം ചന്ദനവും യക്ഷകർത്തമവും (സുഗന്ധലേപം) കൊണ്ടു ദേവേശ്വരനെ അനുലേപനം ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• स्नपयामास: (he) bathed / caused to be bathed
• स्नपयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्नप् (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक) [देव + ईश]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• सुगन्ध-स्नपनैः: with fragrant bath-materials
• सुगन्ध-स्नपनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• बहु: much; greatly
• बहु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सहस्रकृत्वः: a thousand times
• सहस्रकृत्वः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत्वस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), आवृत्तिवाचक (denoting repetition)

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक) [देव + ईश]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चन्दनैः: with sandal(paste)
• चन्दनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• यक्ष-कर्दमैः: with yakṣa-mud (yakṣa-made unguents)
• यक्ष-कर्दमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī / Viśveśvara precinct (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee performs repeated abhiṣeka to Śiva, pouring fragrant waters; then applies sandal paste and a rich yakṣa-scented unguent, with attendants holding vessels, lamps, and garlands in a Kāśī shrine atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Deveśa (Śiva)
• Śukra
• Candana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is deepened through respectful service—abhiṣeka and anointing—performed repeatedly with reverence and purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, the preeminent Śaiva sacred landscape where such abhiṣekas are especially praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Scented abhiṣeka (snapana) and sandal/unguents (candana, yakṣa-kardama) applied repeatedly to the deity.