Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

दध्ना शर्करया युक्तं घृतेन समलंकृतम् । पञ्चामृतमिदं पुण्यं स्नापयेद्वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

dadhnā śarkarayā yuktaṃ ghṛtena samalaṃkṛtam | pañcāmṛtamidaṃ puṇyaṃ snāpayedvṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

ปัญจามฤตอันเป็นบุญนี้ คือ นมเปรี้ยวผสมน้ำตาลและประดับด้วยเนยใส; พึงใช้นี้ทำอภิษekแด่วฤษภธวชะ (พระศิวะ)

Word by Word

• दध्ना: with curd
• दध्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• शर्करया: with sugar
• शर्करया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• युक्तम्: mixed
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘mixed/combined’ (agreeing with ‘पञ्चामृतम्’)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• समलंकृतम्: adorned
• समलंकृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-लङ्कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘adorned/embellished’

• पञ्चामृतम्: pañcāmṛta (mixture of five nectars)
• पञ्चामृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—पञ्चानाम् अमृतानां समाहारः

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — demonstrative qualifying ‘पञ्चामृतम्’

• पुण्यम्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — adjective qualifying ‘पञ्चामृतम्’

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः — should bathe (cause to be bathed)

• वृषभध्वजम्: Śiva (whose banner is the bull)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य सः (रूढ्या शिवनाम)

Speaker

Vyāsa (to a Pāṇḍava, i.e., Arjuna/Partha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛṣabhadhvaja-arcana (Śiva worship) in Revā-khaṇḍa context

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva-liṅga is bathed with thick white curd, sparkling sugar, and golden ghee; attendants hold vessels; the bull-banner emblem appears on a temple flag.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Vṛṣabhadhvaja
• pañcāmṛta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual purity and heartfelt offering transform ordinary substances into sacred ‘nectar’ when offered to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā-kṣetra associated with the river Narmadā, within the Āvantya Khaṇḍa’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcāmṛta-style abhiṣeka to Śiva using curd, sugar, and ghee as specified in the verse.