Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

अभ्यर्च्य गंधमाल्याद्यैर्द्वादशापि कुमारिकाः । एवं संपूर्णतां याति व्रतमेतत्सुनिर्मलम्

Transliteration

abhyarcya gaṃdhamālyādyairdvādaśāpi kumārikāḥ | evaṃ saṃpūrṇatāṃ yāti vratametatsunirmalam

Translation

Tendo honrado devidamente doze donzelas com perfumes, guirlandas e afins, este voto puro alcança assim sua plena conclusão.

Word by Word

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• गन्धमाल्याद्यैः: with perfumes, garlands, etc.
• गन्धमाल्याद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + माल्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (गन्ध-माल्य-आदि)

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; द्वितीया/प्रथमा-सामान्य प्रयोग; यहाँ 'twelve' (quantifier)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (also/even)

• कुमारिकाः: maidens/girls
• कुमारिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• संपूर्णताम्: completion/fulfilment
• संपूर्णताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संपूर्णता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• याति: attains/goes to
• याति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• व्रतम्: the vow
• व्रतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (यहाँ कर्तृपद)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सुनिर्मलम्: very pure
• सुनिर्मलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु+निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अत्यन्तं निर्मलम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (vrata completion rite)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A row of twelve kumārikās seated on clean mats; the devotee offers sandal paste, perfumes, garlands, and respectful salutations; the setting suggests a Kāśī courtyard with temple spires beyond.

Characters & Entities

• Kumārikāḥ (maidens)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity of vow is affirmed by reverence to sacred innocence and the divine feminine, expressed through respectful worship and offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger narrative domain is Kāśī; this verse focuses on kumārī-honouring as a completion rite rather than a site-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Honour twelve maidens with fragrance, garlands, and similar offerings to complete the vow.