Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

सोममंत्रेण होमस्तु कार्यो वित्तानुमानतः । प्रतिमास्थापनं कुर्यात्सोममंत्रमुदीरयेत्

Transliteration

somamaṃtreṇa homastu kāryo vittānumānataḥ | pratimāsthāpanaṃ kuryātsomamaṃtramudīrayet

Translation

धन-सामर्थ्यानुसार सोममंत्राने होम करावा। नंतर प्रतिमेची स्थापना करावी आणि स्थापनेवेळी सोममंत्र उच्चारावा।

Word by Word

• सोममंत्रेण: with the Soma mantra
• सोममंत्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental singular; समासः = ‘with the Soma-mantra’

• होमः: fire-offering (homa)
• होमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; contrast/emphasis)

• कार्यः: to be performed
• कार्यः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण — ‘to be done’

• वित्तानुमानतः: according to one’s means
• वित्तानुमानतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वित्त + अनुमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘according to wealth-estimate’

• प्रतिमास्थापनम्: installation of the image
• प्रतिमास्थापनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमा + स्थापना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — accusative singular; समासः = ‘installation of the image’

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘should do’

• सोममंत्रम्: the Soma mantra
• सोममंत्रम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — accusative singular; ‘Soma-mantra’

• उदीरयेत्: should recite/utter
• उदीरयेत्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √ईर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘should utter/recite’

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced for Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra (Soma-mantra homa context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small homa-kuṇḍa burns steadily; the officiant offers ghee while chanting Soma-mantra, then ceremonially installs a lunar image on a pedestal, sprinkling sanctified water.

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Soma-mantra
• Homa
• Pratimā-sthāpana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra-centered worship—supported by offering and proper installation—channels devotion into a sanctified act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā provides the sacred framework; the verse focuses on Soma-mantra ritual steps.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform homa with the Soma-mantra, then install the pratimā while reciting the Soma-mantra.