Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

कौसुंभकैः कज्जलेन तांबूलेन च तोषयेत् । भक्ष्यैर्भोज्यैमोदकैश्च इक्षुभिर्मधुसर्पिभिः

Transliteration

kausuṃbhakaiḥ kajjalena tāṃbūlena ca toṣayet | bhakṣyairbhojyaimodakaiśca ikṣubhirmadhusarpibhiḥ

Translation

ਕੁਸੁੰਭ ਰੰਗ ਦੀਆਂ ਭੇਟਾਂ, ਕੱਜਲ ਅਤੇ ਤਾਂਬੂਲ ਨਾਲ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਕਰੇ; ਅਤੇ ਚਬਾਉਣ ਤੇ ਖਾਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਪਦਾਰਥਾਂ ਨਾਲ—ਮੋਦਕ, ਗੰਨਾ, ਸ਼ਹਿਦ ਅਤੇ ਘੀ ਨਾਲ।

Word by Word

• kausuṃbhakaiḥ: with safflower-colored cloth/dye
• kausuṃbhakaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausuṃbhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुंभावे, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental, Plural

• kajjalena: with collyrium/soot (kohl)
• kajjalena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kajjala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• tāṃbūlena: with betel
• tāṃbūlena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāṃbūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• toṣayet: should please/satisfy
• toṣayet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु) (causative: toṣaya-)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Causative stem, Optative, 3rd person, Singular

• bhakṣyaiḥ: with eatables/sweets
• bhakṣyaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• bhojyaiḥ: with foods (to be eaten)
• bhojyaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• modakaiḥ: with modaka sweets
• modakaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: modaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ikṣubhiḥ: with sugarcane
• ikṣubhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• madhu-sarpibhiḥ: with honey and ghee
• madhu-sarpibhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + sarpis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (madhu ca sarpis ca); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before the deity, trays hold safflower-colored cloth or offerings, a small collyrium container, betel leaves with areca nut, and plates of modakas, sugarcane, honey, and ghee arranged in ritual symmetry.

Characters & Entities

• Keśava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Loving devotion is shown by offering what is auspicious and pleasing—food, fragrance, and respectful service to the deity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, where worship of Keśava is detailed as a source of sacred merit (puṇya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering tāmbūla and naivedya items—modakas, sugarcane, honey, and ghee—along with auspicious adornments like kajjala.