Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

गृहीतार्घ्यं ततो मां च पप्रच्छ श्लक्ष्णया गिरा । कुशलं तपसः शैलः शनैः फुल्लाननांबुजः

Transliteration

gṛhītārghyaṃ tato māṃ ca papraccha ślakṣṇayā girā | kuśalaṃ tapasaḥ śailaḥ śanaiḥ phullānanāṃbujaḥ

Translation

അർഘ്യം സ്വീകരിച്ചതിന് ശേഷം അവൻ മൃദുവായ വാക്കുകളാൽ എന്റെ ക്ഷേമം ചോദിച്ചു; തപസ്സിൽ ദൃഢനായ ആ ശൈലം പതുക്കെ പ്രസന്നനായി, താമരപോലെയുള്ള മുഖം വിരിഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• गृहीत-अर्घ्यम्: the received arghya-offering
• गृहीत-अर्घ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहीत (ग्रह्-धातोः क्त कृदन्त) + अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः: 'गृहीतम् अर्घ्यम्' (arghya received)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक (sequence adverb)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपदम्

• श्लक्ष्णया: gentle, soft
• श्लक्ष्णया: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; विशेषणम् (गिरा)

• गिरा: with speech/words
• गिरा: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्/गिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कुशलम्: well-being, welfare
• कुशलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; (प्रश्न-विषयः)

• तपसः: of austerity/penance
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शैलः: the mountain (Himālaya)
• शैलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शनैः: slowly, gently
• शनैः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण; 'slowly, gently'

• फुल्ल-आनन-अम्बुजः: whose face-lotus was blooming
• फुल्ल-आनन-अम्बुजः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहिः (फुल्लम् आननम् अम्बुजवत् यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Himavat-sadana (audience place)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/primary interlocutor in frame (not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal exchange: the guest accepts arghya; Himavat, austere yet tender, speaks softly and asks after welfare; his face blooms like a lotus opening slowly in morning light.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True piety combines ritual respect (arghya) with gentle speech and sincere concern for another’s welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is on dharma and the sanctity of honoring guests.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering arghya as part of respectful reception is explicitly mentioned.