Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 123

Devanagari script

नातः परतरं किंचिद्भास्वतस्तुष्टिकारकम् । यादृशं कुङ्कुमं जाती शतपत्रं तथाऽगुरुः

Transliteration

nātaḥ parataraṃ kiṃcidbhāsvatastuṣṭikārakam | yādṛśaṃ kuṅkumaṃ jātī śatapatraṃ tathā'guruḥ

Translation

ഭാസ്വത് (സൂര്യദേവൻ)നെ പ്രസന്നിപ്പിക്കാൻ ഇവയെക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠം ഒന്നുമില്ല—കുങ്കുമം, ജാതി (മുല്ല), ശതപത്ര (പദ്മം) കൂടാതെ അഗരു।

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• ataḥ: from this; than this
• ataḥ: Apadana/Hetu (Source/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/हेतुवाचक-प्रयोगः (from this/therefore)

• parataram: higher; superior
• parataram: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paratara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनम्; तृतीय-तुलनात्मक-तरप् (comparative)

• kiṃcit: anything
• kiṃcit: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (something/anything)

• bhāsvataḥ: of the radiant one (Sun)
• bhāsvataḥ: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāsvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular)

• tuṣṭikārakam: causing satisfaction
• tuṣṭikārakam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tuṣṭeḥ kārakam)

• yādṛśam: such as; of the kind
• yādṛśam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धवाचक-विशेषणम् (of what kind)

• kuṅkumam: saffron
• kuṅkumam: Karma (Object/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṅkuma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• jātī: jasmine
• jātī: Karta (Subject/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• śatapatram: lotus (hundred-petalled)
• śatapatram: Karma (Object/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatapatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोगः (śataṃ patrāṇi yasya)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थक (likewise/also)

• aguruḥ: aloeswood (aguru)
• aguruḥ: Karta (Subject/Item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aguru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Sūrya-āyatana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Sūrya icon receives offerings: saffron paste, jasmine garlands, a large many-petalled lotus, and curling aguru incense smoke rising in sunlight.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāsvat (Sūrya)
• kuṃkuma
• jātī
• śatapatra
• aguru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic path values purity and intentionality in worship—specific fragrant offerings are said to delight the deity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where such Sūrya worship is being extolled.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Using saffron, jasmine, lotus, and aguru as supreme offerings to please Sūrya.