Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

संमार्जनं रंगमालाः प्रासादं परितः सदा । विदध्यान्माधवी तत्र तथार्चा पात्रशोधनम्

Transliteration

saṃmārjanaṃ raṃgamālāḥ prāsādaṃ paritaḥ sadā | vidadhyānmādhavī tatra tathārcā pātraśodhanam

Translation

Мадхави всегда совершала подметание и развешивала украшенные гирлянды вокруг святилища; там же она совершала поклонение и очищение ритуальных сосудов.

Word by Word

• saṃmārjanam: cleaning, sweeping
• saṃmārjanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃ + √mṛj (मृज्) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (gerundive noun) ‘संमार्जनम्’ = cleansing/sweeping

• raṃgamālāḥ: decorative garlands
• raṃgamālāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṃga + mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रङ्गस्य मालाः/रङ्ग-मालाः = decorative garlands)

• prāsādam: palace/temple-building
• prāsādam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāsāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• paritaḥ: around
• paritaḥ: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paritaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: around)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• vidadhyāt: should arrange/perform
• vidadhyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √dhā (धा)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमा-पुरुषः, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• mādhavī: Mādhavī (a woman named Mādhavī)
• mādhavī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपदं (नाम/विशेष-स्त्री)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• tathā: also, likewise
• tathā: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• arcā: worship, ritual honoring
• arcā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अर्चा’ = पूजन-क्रिया/पूजा

• pātraśodhanam: cleaning of vessels
• pātraśodhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra + śodhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पात्राणां शोधनम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mādhavī in the temple courtyard: sweeping the floor, hanging fresh garlands around the prāsāda, washing shining metal ritual vessels; the deity’s presence felt through lamp-light and orderliness.

Characters & Entities

• Mādhavī
• Prāsāda (shrine/temple)
• Arcā (worship)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional service expresses itself through practical purity—cleaning the sacred space, adorning it, and performing worship with care.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting, the focus is on service to the shrine/temple culture of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Temple-sevā: sweeping/cleaning (saṃmārjana), decorating with garlands (raṅgamālā), performing worship (arcā), and purifying vessels (pātra-śodhana).