Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा कुन्दरकं धूपं पूजयेद्भास्करं बुधः । ब्राह्मणान्दिव्यभोज्येन भोजयित्वाऽपि शक्तितः

Transliteration

dattvā kundarakaṃ dhūpaṃ pūjayedbhāskaraṃ budhaḥ | brāhmaṇāndivyabhojyena bhojayitvā'pi śaktitaḥ

Translation

കുന്ദരക ധൂപം അർപ്പിച്ച് ജ്ഞാനി ഭാസ്കരൻ (സൂര്യദേവൻ)നെ പൂജിക്കണം. പിന്നെ തന്റെ ശേഷിയനുസരിച്ച് ഉത്തമഭോജനത്തോടെ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരെയും ഭോജനിപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• dattvā: having offered/given
• dattvā: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वान्त gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having given)

• kundarakam: kundaraka (a fragrant substance)
• kundarakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kundaraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• dhūpam: incense
• dhūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhāskaram: the Sun (Bhāskara)
• bhāskaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• budhaḥ: a wise person
• budhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• brāhmaṇān: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• divya-bhojyena: with divine/choice food
• divya-bhojyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (दिव्यं तत् भोज्यम्)

• bhojayitvā: having fed
• bhojayitvā: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु, causative भोजय-) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वान्त gerund); णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) ‘having fed’

• api: also/even
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• śaktitaḥ: according to one’s ability
• śaktitaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sāṃbāditya (Sūrya) at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at Prabhāsa offers curling kundaraka incense before a radiant Sūrya icon (Sāṃbāditya), then serves a line of Brāhmaṇas seated for a divine meal under temple shade.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara (Sūrya)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Kundaraka incense

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship joins devotion with generosity—honoring the deity and serving worthy recipients through charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, through the prescribed worship of Bhāskara/Sāṃbāditya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer kundaraka incense, worship the Sun, and feed Brāhmaṇas with fine food according to one’s means.