Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

एवं स्तुत्वा ततो लिंगं स्नापयित्वा यथाविधि । गन्धानुलेपनैदिव्यैर्मर्दयामास वै ततः

Transliteration

evaṃ stutvā tato liṃgaṃ snāpayitvā yathāvidhi | gandhānulepanaidivyairmardayāmāsa vai tataḥ

Translation

ครั้นสรรเสริญแล้ว เขาจึงอาบสรงลึงคะตามพิธี; ต่อจากนั้นได้ชโลมและนวดทาด้วยเครื่องหอมและเครื่องลูบไล้อันเป็นทิพย์

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: “thus”)

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive: “having praised”)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक (adverb: “then/thereafter”)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga (Śiva emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्नापयित्वा: having bathed (it)
• स्नापयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु) (णिच् causative: स्नापय-)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजकधातोः क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (causative gerund: “having bathed/caused to be bathed”)

• यथाविधि: according to the prescribed rite
• यथाविधि: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्यय (adverb: “according to rule”)

• गन्धानुलेपनैः: with perfumes and unguents
• गन्धानुलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + anulepana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (गन्धाः च अनुलेपनानि च); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• दिव्यैः: divine
• दिव्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with ‘गन्धानुलेपनैः’)

• मर्दयामास: rubbed/massaged
• मर्दयामास: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛd (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/खलु-अर्थे (emphatic particle)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

Speaker

Narrator (tīrtha-māhātmya narrative voice; speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee completes a hymn, then pours water over a stone liṅga in a sanctum; attendants hold vessels; afterward he applies fragrant sandal paste and divine unguents, the shrine glowing with lamp-light.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Praise should culminate in disciplined worship—devotion expressed through proper ritual service to the liṅga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The action occurs within a tīrtha narrative of Nāgarakhaṇḍa; the verse itself focuses on liṅga-pūjā rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-snāpana (ritual bathing/abhiṣeka) and gandhānulepana (anointing with perfumes/unguents) performed yathāvidhi (as per injunction).