Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

किं पुनः श्रद्धया युक्ताः शिवाय परमात्मने । अर्पयंति सदा भक्त्या गंधपूष्पादिकं महत्

Transliteration

kiṃ punaḥ śraddhayā yuktāḥ śivāya paramātmane | arpayaṃti sadā bhaktyā gaṃdhapūṣpādikaṃ mahat

Translation

అయితే శ్రద్ధయుక్తులై సదా భక్తితో పరమాత్మ శివునకు సుగంధము, పుష్పములు మొదలైన మహోపచారములను అర్పించువారి ఫలము ఎంత అధికమో!

Word by Word

• kim: how much more / what then
• kim: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; प्रश्न/आश्चर्य (how much more/what then)

• punaḥ: moreover
• punaḥ: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्य (again/further)

• śraddhayā: with faith
• śraddhayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• yuktāḥ: endowed (with)
• yuktāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण (endowed/connected)

• śivāya: to Śiva
• śivāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन

• parama-ātmane: to the Supreme Self
• parama-ātmane: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (परमः आत्मा)

• arpayanti: they offer
• arpayanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• gaṃdha-puṣpa-ādikam: fragrance, flowers, and the like
• gaṃdha-puṣpa-ādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṃdha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समाहारार्थक; तत्पुरुषसमासः (गन्ध-पुष्प-आदि)

• mahat: great/abundant
• mahat: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees with folded hands offer fragrant sandal paste, flowers, and other upacāras to Śiva conceived as Paramātman; the scene shifts from courtly marvel to timeless temple devotion, emphasizing inner faith.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faith (śraddhā) and devotion (bhakti) elevate even simple offerings into powerful worship of the Supreme Lord Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred region (Kedārakhaṇḍa) within the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering gandha (fragrance), puṣpa (flowers), and related upacāras to Śiva with faith and devotion.