Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

मुष्टिकाः शर्करागर्भाः सर्पिषा परिसाधिताः । निवेद्याः फाल्गुने देव्यै सार्धं विघ्नजिता मुदा

Transliteration

muṣṭikāḥ śarkarāgarbhāḥ sarpiṣā parisādhitāḥ | nivedyāḥ phālgune devyai sārdhaṃ vighnajitā mudā

Translation

ଫାଲ୍ଗୁନେ ଶର୍କରାଭରା, ଘୃତରେ ସୁସିଦ୍ଧ ମୁଷ୍ଟିକା ମିଠା ଦେବୀଙ୍କୁ—ବିଘ୍ନଜିତା ସହ—ଆନନ୍ଦରେ ନିବେଦନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• मुष्टिकाः: muṣṭikā sweets/balls
• मुष्टिकाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• शर्करा-गर्भाः: having sugar within
• शर्करा-गर्भाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्करा + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural qualifying मुष्टिकाः; बहुव्रीहि: 'having sugar inside'

• सर्पिषा: with ghee
• सर्पिषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• परिसाधिताः: well-prepared/cooked
• परिसाधिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + साध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'well-prepared'

• निवेद्याः: to be offered
• निवेद्याः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + वेद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/य-प्रत्यय; gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'to be offered'

• फाल्गुने: in (the month of) Phālguna
• फाल्गुने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• देव्यै: to the Goddess
• देव्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय; 'together/along with'

• विघ्नजिता: with Vighnajitā (the obstacle-conqueror)
• विघ्नजिता: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न + जित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'by the conqueror of obstacles' (epithet of deity)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (adverbial)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda instructing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Śākta-Śaiva integrated kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (generic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Phālguna festive offering: Devī seated in a shrine receives muṣṭikā sweets glistening with ghee; beside her, Vighnajitā (Gaṇeśa) is honored, devotees smiling with relief and joy.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Vighnajitā
• Phālguna (month)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offerings made with joy and care, directed to Devī, are framed as a means to overcome obstacles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context implies Kāśī’s sacred sphere, though this verse focuses on Devī worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

In Phālguna, offer ghee-prepared, sugar-filled muṣṭikā sweets to Devī along with Vighnajitā.