Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

अभ्यषिंचञ्च्छुभैस्तोयैर्वृत्रशत्रुं यथा सुराः । मालां ददुर्वैजयन्तीं श्रीमदंबुज शोभिताम्

Transliteration

abhyaṣiṃcañcchubhaistoyairvṛtraśatruṃ yathā surāḥ | mālāṃ dadurvaijayantīṃ śrīmadaṃbuja śobhitām

Translation

ดุจครั้งเหล่าเทวะเคยสรงด้วยน้ำมงคลแด่ผู้พิชิตวฤตระคือพระอินทร์ ฉันใด บัดนี้เขาก็ถูกประพรมด้วยน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์ และได้รับพวงมาลัยไวชยันตีอันงามวิจิตร ประดับด้วยดอกบัวอันรุ่งเรือง

Word by Word

• अभ्यषिञ्चन्: sprinkling / anointing
• अभ्यषिञ्चन्: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिच् (धातु) + अभि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Present active participle

• शुभैः: auspicious
• शुभैः: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (Instrument-qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural (qualifying ‘toyaiḥ’)

• तोयैः: with waters
• तोयैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• वृत्रशत्रुम्: Vṛtra’s slayer (Indra)
• वृत्रशत्रुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Tatpuruṣa ‘enemy of Vṛtra’

• यथा: as / like
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमा-संबन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा/प्रकारवाचक — comparative particle

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• मालाम्: a garland
• मालाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• ददुः: gave
• ददुः: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Perfect, 3rd person plural

• वैजयन्तीम्: Vaijayantī (victory-garland)
• वैजयन्तीम्: Karman-viśeṣaṇa (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैजयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular (qualifying ‘mālām’)

• श्रीमदम्बुजशोभिताम्: adorned with splendid lotuses
• श्रीमदम्बुजशोभिताम्: Karman-viśeṣaṇa (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभित (कृदन्त; शुभ्/शोभ् धातोः क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Tatpuruṣa compound; ‘adorned with splendid lotuses’ qualifying ‘mālām’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages and divine-like attendants sprinkle Balarāma with shining waters from golden vessels; a radiant Vaijayantī garland heavy with lotuses is placed upon him; the atmosphere is celebratory yet reverent.

Characters & Entities

• devas (gods)
• Indra (Vṛtraśatru)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Those who protect dharma are honored by divine forces; victory in righteousness culminates in consecration and blessing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu, where the completion and protection of sacred rites leads to divine celebration and sanctifying rites like sprinkling/abhisheka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A ritual act is implied: auspicious sprinkling/anointing (abhiṣeka/abhisecanam) and offering of garlands as honor.