Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 152

Devanagari script

निखनेत्प्रतिमां मध्ये माधूकीं मधुकस्य च । तत्रस्थं पूजयेत्सर्वमुमादेहार्द्धधारिणम्

Transliteration

nikhanetpratimāṃ madhye mādhūkīṃ madhukasya ca | tatrasthaṃ pūjayetsarvamumādehārddhadhāriṇam

Translation

स्थलस्य मध्ये माधूक्याः मधुकवृक्षस्य च प्रतिमां निखनेत्। तत्र उमादेहार्द्धधारिणं सर्वोपचारैः सम्यक् पूजयेत्॥

Word by Word

• nikhanet: should bury/dig in
• nikhanet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khan (√खन् धातु) + नि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• pratimām: an image/idol
• pratimām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative of place: 'in the middle')

• mādhūkīm: (a) Mādhūkī (tree/plant)
• mādhūkīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhūkī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम्

• madhukasya: of the madhuka (tree)
• madhukasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• stham: standing/placed (there)
• stham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (√स्था धातु) + -ta (क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तान्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying the object to be worshipped)

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (√पूज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• sarvam: all/entire
• sarvam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• umādehārddhadhāriṇam: the bearer of half of Umā’s body (Ardhanārīśvara)
• umādehārddhadhāriṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: umā (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (धारिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: उमाया देहस्य अर्धं धारयति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mādhūkāvāsa (implied) in Revā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sanctified clearing in a Narmadā-side grove: the central pit/altar where a Madhūka-related image is set; before it stands Ardhanārīśvara icon, half Umā, half Śiva, attended by a worshipping couple with lamps, flowers, and red kuṅkuma.

Characters & Entities

• Mādhūkī/Madhūka
• Madhuvṛkṣa
• Umā
• Ardhanārīśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The vow culminates in recognizing Śiva’s inclusive wholeness—divinity that unites Śiva and Umā as one reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A consecrated Madhu-tree site within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s Narmadā sacred geography is implied.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Install an icon connected with the Madhūka/Madhu-tree and worship Śiva as Umādehārddhadhārī (Ardhanārīśvara) with complete offerings.