Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

स्नपनं ये प्रकुर्वन्ति पुष्पमालाविलेपनैः । येऽर्चयन्ति विरूपाक्षं देवं नारायणं हरिम्

Transliteration

snapanaṃ ye prakurvanti puṣpamālāvilepanaiḥ | ye'rcayanti virūpākṣaṃ devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ harim

Translation

ये पुष्पमालाविलेपनैः सह देवं स्नपनं प्रकुर्वन्ति, ये च विरूपाक्षं नारायणं हरिं देवं अर्चयन्ति।

Word by Word

• स्नपनम्: ritual bathing (ablution)
• स्नपनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative singular

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural (relative pronoun)

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: perform
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada

• पुष्पमालाविलेपनैः: with flower-garlands and anointments
• पुष्पमालाविलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्पमाला + विलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental plural; द्वन्द्व-समासः (पुष्पमाला च विलेपनं च)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural (relative pronoun)

• अर्चयन्ति: worship
• अर्चयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada

• विरूपाक्षम्: Virūpākṣa (the odd/unique-eyed Lord)
• विरूपाक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + रूप + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular; बहुव्रीहिः (विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Apposition to object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (Apposition to object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (Apposition to object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees perform snāpana and arcana before a shrine where Virūpākṣa and Nārāyaṇa/Hari are invoked—either as two adjacent icons or a unified Harihara form; garlands drape the deity, and fragrant unguents are applied.

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Hari
• Virūpākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic devotion values both ceremonial bathing and heartfelt worship as direct service to the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa temple-tīrtha where Nārāyaṇa/Hari is worshipped (Māṇḍavyeśvara context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snapana (abhiṣeka) with garlands and unguents, and arcana (formal worship) of the deity.