Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

कनकानि कदंबानि रात्रौ देयानि शंकरे । देवशेषाणि पुष्पाणि दिवा रात्रौ च मल्लिका

Transliteration

kanakāni kadaṃbāni rātrau deyāni śaṃkare | devaśeṣāṇi puṣpāṇi divā rātrau ca mallikā

Translation

கனகமும் கடம்பமும் ஆகிய மலர்களை சங்கரருக்கு இரவில் அர்ப்பணிக்க வேண்டும். பிற தெய்வங்களுக்கு அர்ப்பணித்து மீந்த ‘தேவ-சேஷ’ மலர்கள் விலக்கத்தக்கவை; ஆனால் மல்லிகை (மல்லி) பகலும் இரவும் அர்ப்பணிக்கலாம்.

Word by Word

• kanakāni: kanaka flowers
• kanakāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• kadaṃbāni: kadamba flowers
• kadaṃbāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kadaṃba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणम्

• deyāni: to be offered/given
• deyāni: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु) + ya (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्-अर्थे ‘देय’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विधेयार्थः—‘देयानि’ = ‘दातव्यानि/अर्पणीयानि’

• śaṃkare: to Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• śaṃkare: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदानम्

• deva-śeṣāṇi: leftover after (use by) the deity
• deva-śeṣāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (देवस्य शेषाणि—देवोपभुक्तशेषाणि)

• puṣpāṇi: flowers
• puṣpāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• divā: by day/in daytime
• divā: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: divā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• mallikā: mallikā (jasmine)
• mallikā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mallikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (पाठानुसार वाक्यशेषः/अन्वयः अपूर्णः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced from Purāṇic māhātmya frame in Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Someśvara at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night pūjā at Somnātha: lamps blaze, priests offer kanaka and kadamba blossoms; a separate tray of ‘deva-śeṣa’ flowers is kept away; jasmine garlands appear in both daytime and nighttime scenes.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Someśvara (Somanātha)
• Kanaka
• Kadamba
• Mallikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence includes correct timing and exclusivity of offerings—worship is strengthened through mindful ritual discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, in the worship-regulations for Someśvara/Somanātha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kanaka and kadamba are prescribed for night offering; deva-śeṣa flowers are disallowed; mallikā is permitted both day and night.