Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

स्तुत्वा तां बिल्वपत्रैश्च पूजयित्वा महेश्वरीम् । प्रसन्नवदनां स्तुत्वा प्रणिपत्य पुनःपुनः

Transliteration

stutvā tāṃ bilvapatraiśca pūjayitvā maheśvarīm | prasannavadanāṃ stutvā praṇipatya punaḥpunaḥ

Translation

बिल्वपत्रांनी त्यांनी महेश्वरीची स्तुती व पूजा केली; प्रसन्नमुख देवीचे गुणगान करून, वारंवार साष्टांग प्रणाम केला.

Word by Word

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• बिल्वपत्रैः: with bilva leaves
• बिल्वपत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बिल्वस्य पत्राणि)

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

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• महेश्वरीम्: Mahēśvarī (the Great Goddess)
• महेश्वरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रसन्नवदनाम्: with a serene face
• प्रसन्नवदनाम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः (प्रसन्नं वदनं यस्याः सा)

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb of repetition)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb of repetition)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The gods gather before Maheśvarī, offering bilva leaves; the Goddess sits serene with a gracious face; waves of prostrations repeat, filling the scene with humility and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvarī
• Bilva (leaves)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion expressed through praise, simple offerings, and humility (repeated prostration) draws divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting, but the excerpt does not identify the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of Maheśvarī with bilva leaves, accompanied by stuti (hymns) and repeated praṇāma (prostration).