Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

कर्पूरचन्दनदलैः सितामधुसमन्वितम् । मांसीजटाभिः सहितं सुप्ते देवेऽथ सत्तम

Transliteration

karpūracandanadalaiḥ sitāmadhusamanvitam | māṃsījaṭābhiḥ sahitaṃ supte deve'tha sattama

Translation

കർപ്പൂരം, ചന്ദനദളങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയോടെ, വെളുത്ത മധുവുമായി ചേർത്ത്, മാംസിയും ജടയും സഹിതം—ദേവൻ ശയനത്തിലിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ഹേ സത്തമാ! (ഇത് അർപ്പിക്കണം).

Word by Word

• कर्पूरचन्दनदलैः: with camphor-and-sandalwood pieces/leaves
• कर्पूरचन्दनदलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूर-चन्दन-दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्पूरस्य चन्दनस्य दलैः)

• सितामधुसमन्वितम्: mixed with white honey
• सितामधुसमन्वितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित-मधु-समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (सितं मधु यस्य/येन समन्वितम्)

• मांसीजटाभिः: with spikenard (māṃsī) braids/locks
• मांसीजटाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांसी-जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मांस्याः जटाभिः)

• सहितम्: together with; accompanied
• सहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (समेतम्)

• सुप्ते: when (he is) asleep
• सुप्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त (कृदन्त; √स्वप् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘सुप्त’ = asleep

• देवे: in/when the god
• देवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• सत्तम: O best of the good
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सत्’ + तमप् (श्रेष्ठ)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sattama (best of the virtuous) addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual tray with camphor crystals, sandal flakes, white honey, and aromatic roots; the deity shown reclining (Viṣṇu-śayana) while devotees offer gentle fragrance without loud festivity.

Characters & Entities

• Karpūra
• Candana
• Madhu
• Māṃsī
• Jaṭā
• Deva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through careful, sattvic preparation—offering refined fragrances and pure substances as a form of reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it supplies ritual details within the broader māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare an aromatic offering using camphor, sandal, pure honey, and māṃsī/jaṭā substances, particularly in the context of the deity’s “sleeping” period.