Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एकासनं समारूढौ कृत्वा गौरी महेश्वरौ । ततश्चाराधयामास समं पुष्पानुलेपनैः

Transliteration

ekāsanaṃ samārūḍhau kṛtvā gaurī maheśvarau | tataścārādhayāmāsa samaṃ puṣpānulepanaiḥ

Translation

ഗൗരിയും മഹേശ്വരനും ഇരിക്കുവാൻ ഒരേയൊരു ആസനം ഒരുക്കി അവരെ ഒരുമിച്ച് ഇരുത്തി; തുടർന്ന് പുഷ്പങ്ങളും സുഗന്ധാനുലേപനങ്ങളും കൊണ്ട് ഇരുവരെയും സമമായി ആരാധിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ekāsanam: one seat
• ekāsanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'एकम् आसनम्'

• samārūḍhau: having mounted, seated
• samārūḍhau: Kriyā (Predicate qualifier/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ā + ruh (रुह् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; 'having mounted/sat upon' (agreeing with dual subject)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive), 'having made/done'

• gaurī: Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• gaurī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• maheśvarau: the two great lords (Śiva and Pārvatī)
• maheśvarau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb: 'then/thereafter')

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ārādhayāmāsa: worshipped, propitiated
• ārādhayāmāsa: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + rādh (राध् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्सभूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative-like stem in usage 'ārādhay-' = 'worship'

• samam: together, equally
• samam: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-रूपेण (adverbial accusative), 'equally/together'

• puṣpa: with flowers
• puṣpa: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (in compound-like coordination with anulepanaiḥ)

• anulepanaiḥ: with unguents/anointments
• anulepanaiḥ: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anulepana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; 'ointments/anointings'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king prepares a single ornate seat; Gaurī and Maheśvara sit together; he offers flowers and sandal paste, performing synchronized worship with deep humility.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is worshipped in fullness along with Śakti; honoring the divine couple together reflects integral Purāṇic devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not name a site; it describes the worship practice occurring within the chapter’s sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Joint worship of Gaurī and Maheśvara: preparing a single seat (ekāsana) and offering flowers and anointing substances.