Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

एकरात्रं त्रिरात्रं वा पञ्चरात्रं च सप्त वा । स्नापयेद्गंधतोयेन कुंकुमेन विलेपयेत्

Transliteration

ekarātraṃ trirātraṃ vā pañcarātraṃ ca sapta vā | snāpayedgaṃdhatoyena kuṃkumena vilepayet

Translation

ଏକ ରାତି, ତିନି ରାତି, ପାଞ୍ଚ କିମ୍ବା ସାତ ରାତି ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ—ସୁଗନ୍ଧିତ ଜଳରେ ଦେବତାଙ୍କୁ ସ୍ନାନ କରାଇ, କୁଙ୍କୁମରେ ଲେପନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• एकरात्रम्: for one night
• एकरात्रम्: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (एकं रात्रम्)

• त्रिरात्रम्: for three nights
• त्रिरात्रम्: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि रात्राणि)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पबोधक (disjunctive particle)

• पञ्चरात्रम्: for five nights
• पञ्चरात्रम्: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च रात्राणि)

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

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Kala/Avadhi (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (अत्र) द्वितीया-अर्थे कालपरिमाणम् (seven [nights])

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पबोधक (disjunctive particle)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (the deity)/cause to bathe
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• गन्धतोयेन: with scented water
• गन्धतोयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (गन्धयुक्तं तोयम्)

• कुङ्कुमेन: with saffron
• कुङ्कुमेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• विलेपयेत्: should anoint/smear
• विलेपयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to smear/anoint)

Speaker

Kumāreśvara (Skanda/Kārttikeya) (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kumāreśvara (temple context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotee community addressed through the narrative voice; immediate addressee remains the interlocutor of the section

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nightly worship sequence across multiple nights: priests prepare fragrant water; abhiṣeka is poured; saffron paste is applied; lamps glow in the sanctum; devotees keep vigil.

Characters & Entities

• Gandhatoya (perfumed water)
• Kuṅkuma (saffron)
• Abhiṣeka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined, time-bound worship (vrata-like observance) intensifies devotion and ritual efficacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implied Kumāreśvara shrine context within the Mahī–Sāgara-saṅgama māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform abhiṣeka for 1/3/5/7 nights using fragrant water and apply kuṅkuma as an anointment.