Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

यः कुर्याच्छांतिकं सम्यक्तिलहोमं च भक्तितः । वासरे तव संप्राप्ते समिद्भिश्च तथाऽक्षतैः

Transliteration

yaḥ kuryācchāṃtikaṃ samyaktilahomaṃ ca bhaktitaḥ | vāsare tava saṃprāpte samidbhiśca tathā'kṣataiḥ

Translation

നിന്റെ ദിവസം വന്നപ്പോൾ ആരെങ്കിലും ഭക്തിയോടെ ശരിയായി ശാന്തികർമ്മം ചെയ്ത്, സമിധകളും അക്ഷതയും ചേർത്ത് തിലഹോമം വിധിപൂർവ്വം നടത്തുകയാണെങ്കിൽ—

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधकः सापेक्षः सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• शान्तिकम्: propitiatory rite (śāntika)
• शान्तिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• सम्यक्: properly, correctly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तिलहोमम्: sesame-offering (tilahoma)
• तिलहोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तिलानां होमः)

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

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (ablative of cause)

• वासरे: on the day
• वासरे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• संप्राप्ते: having arrived/when (it) has come
• संप्राप्ते: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; वासरे इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• समिद्भिः: with fuel-sticks
• समिद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समिध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

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

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अक्षतैः: with unbroken rice-grains
• अक्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

Speaker

Rājā Daśaratha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/dvijas (audience addressed as ‘dvijasattamāḥ’ in the frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee performs a sesame oblation into a consecrated fire, placing samidh and offering akṣata, while invoking Śanaiścara for pacification; ritual vessels and a calm, protective atmosphere dominate the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Śanaiścara
• Tilahoma
• Akṣata
• Samidhaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional ritual (bhakti-yukta karma) is portrayed as a legitimate dharmic means to pacify suffering and restore harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in a tīrtha-māhātmya setting but does not specify a particular site; it emphasizes ritual procedure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śāntika rite including tilahoma (sesame fire-offering) using samidha (fuel-sticks) and akṣata (unbroken rice) on Śani’s day.