Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

पुष्पोदकं च रत्नोदं वर्द्धनं च दशोत्तरम् । मंत्रोदकं च गंधोदं तथैव नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

puṣpodakaṃ ca ratnodaṃ varddhanaṃ ca daśottaram | maṃtrodakaṃ ca gaṃdhodaṃ tathaiva nṛpasattama

Translation

ഹേ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! പുഷ്പോദകം, രത്നോദകം, വർധനജലം—ഇവയും പത്തിരട്ടി ശ്രേഷ്ഠമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു; അതുപോലെ മന്ത്രോദകവും സുഗന്ധോദകവും പ്രശംസിതമാണ്।

Word by Word

• पुष्पोदकम्: flower-water (water with flowers)
• पुष्पोदकम्: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प-उदक (प्रातिपदिक; पुष्प + उदक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• रत्नोदकं: gem-water (water with gems)
• रत्नोदकं: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न-उदक (प्रातिपदिक; रत्न + उदक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• वर्द्धनम्: increasing (agent/means); growth-promoting (water/rite)
• वर्द्धनम्: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• दशोत्तरम्: ten more; exceeding by ten
• दशोत्तरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण) (predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; दश + उत्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• मन्त्रोदकम्: mantra-water (consecrated water)
• मन्त्रोदकम्: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र-उदक (प्रातिपदिक; मन्त्र + उदक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• गन्धोदकम्: scented water
• गन्धोदकम्: Karta/Topic (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-उदक (प्रातिपदिक; गन्ध + उदक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise, thus
• तथा: Discourse/Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa narrative voice addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpasaत्तम (best of kings) explicitly addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests present multiple crystal bowls: one with floating flowers, one shimmering with gem-like reflections, one perfumed with sandal, one being sanctified by mantra with a kusa ring; the king watches respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Abhiṣeka waters (puṣpodaka, ratnoda, mantrodaka, gandhoda)
• Dvārakā (context)
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is intensified through sanctified media—flowers, fragrance, mantra, and precious substances offered with reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā by context, as the ritual setting for Kṛṣṇa worship described in this māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka using specialized waters: flower-water, jewel-water, enhancing water, mantra-consecrated water, and fragrant water.