Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

करवीरै रक्तपुष्पैर्जपापुष्पैस्तथैव च । अर्चयेत्पुष्पमालाभिः परिधायारुणवाससी

Transliteration

karavīrai raktapuṣpairjapāpuṣpaistathaiva ca | arcayetpuṣpamālābhiḥ paridhāyāruṇavāsasī

Translation

करवीररक्तपुष्पैर्जपापुष्पैश्च सम्यक् पूजयेत्। पुष्पमालाभिः समलङ्कृत्य अरुणवस्त्रधरोऽर्चयेत्॥

Word by Word

• करवीरैः: with oleander flowers
• करवीरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/साधन), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• रक्तपुष्पैः: with red flowers
• रक्तपुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• जपापुष्पैः: with hibiscus flowers
• जपापुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जपा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable, adverb

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (अवधारण) — Indeclinable particle (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक — Indeclinable conjunction

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Optative, 3rd person, Singular

• पुष्पमालाभिः: with garlands of flowers
• पुष्पमालाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• परिधाय: having worn
• परिधाय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभाव), पूर्वकालक्रिया — Gerund (absolutive), ‘having put on’

• अरुणवाससी: wearing reddish garments
• अरुणवाससी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; विशेषण (अर्चकस्य) — adjective qualifying the worshipper

Speaker

Kumāreśvara (Skanda/Kārttikeya) (contextual attribution)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in crimson garments offers garlands and clusters of red oleander and hibiscus at a Śiva shrine, lamps glowing and incense curling upward.

Characters & Entities

• Karavīra
• Japā (hibiscus)
• Arcana/Pūjā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through beautiful, appropriate offerings and disciplined worshipful conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes worship practice for Kumāreśvara within the adhyāya’s saṅgama-tīrtha setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer karavīra, red flowers, hibiscus, and garlands; wear red/crimson clothing during arcana.