Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

जातवेदसमंत्रेण तिलाज्यद्रविणेन च । शतमष्टाधिकं होमं कारयेद्विधिना व्रती

Transliteration

jātavedasamaṃtreṇa tilājyadraviṇena ca | śatamaṣṭādhikaṃ homaṃ kārayedvidhinā vratī

Translation

ജാതവേദസ് മന്ത്രം ചൊല്ലി, എള്ള്, നെയ്യ് എന്നിവയും ദ്രവ്യാഹുതികളും ചേർത്ത്, വ്രതധാരി വിധിപൂർവ്വം നൂറ്റെട്ട് ആഹുതികളോടെ ഹോമം നടത്തിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• jātavedasa-maṃtreṇa: with the Jātavedas mantra
• jātavedasa-maṃtreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātavedas (प्रातिपदिक) + mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jātavedasasya mantraḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणार्थे (by means of)

• tila-ājya-draviṇena: with sesame, ghee, and wealth (offerings)
• tila-ājya-draviṇena: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक) + ājya (प्रातिपदिक) + draviṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (tila+ājya+draviṇa as a set of offerings); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणार्थे

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Visheshana (Quantifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (hundred)

• aṣṭa-adhikam: eight more (i.e., 108)
• aṣṭa-adhikam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (aṣṭabhiḥ adhikam = eight more); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; śatam इति संख्यायाः विशेषणम्

• homam: homa (fire-offering)
• homam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• kārayet: should have (it) performed
• kārayet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to be done); विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vidhinā: according to the prescribed method
• vidhinā: Karana (Manner/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; प्रकार/विधिवाचक (according to rule)

• vratī: the vow-observer
• vratī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; व्रतधारी

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of a homa: the priest/devotee offers sesame and ghee into a bright, controlled flame while reciting Jātavedas; a counting rosary or tally sticks indicate 108 offerings; ritual vessels arranged neatly.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Jātavedas)
• Homa
• 108 (number)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vrata culminates in sanctifying action through Agni—offering with mantra, measure, and method.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The practice is taught within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered dharma framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform a 108-offering homa using the Jātavedas mantra with sesame and ghee.