Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

बलिदानैः सुवस्त्रैश्च गन्धपुष्पोपलेपनैः । मार्जनैध्वजदानैश्च तथा प्रेक्षणकैः शुभैः

Transliteration

balidānaiḥ suvastraiśca gandhapuṣpopalepanaiḥ | mārjanaidhvajadānaiśca tathā prekṣaṇakaiḥ śubhaiḥ

Translation

ด้วยเครื่องบูชาบาลิและทาน ด้วยผ้าภูษาอันงดงาม ด้วยเครื่องหอม การทาเครื่องหอม และดอกไม้; ด้วยพิธีชำระล้าง ด้วยการถวายธงชัย และด้วยพิธีทัศนะอันเป็นมงคล—

Word by Word

• बलिदानैः: with offerings (bali-gifts)
• बलिदानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बलिदानैः = offerings as gifts)

• सुवस्त्रैः: with fine garments
• सुवस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुन्दराणि वस्त्राणि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• गन्धपुष्पोपलेपनैः: with perfumes, flowers, and unguents
• गन्धपुष्पोपलेपनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + पुष्प + उपलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समाहार/श्रृङ्खला-तत्पुरुषः (गन्ध-पुष्प-उपलेपनैः = with perfumes, flowers, and unguents)

• मार्जनैः: with cleansing (acts)
• मार्जनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ध्वजदानैः: with gifts of banners/flags
• ध्वजदानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ध्वजस्य दानैः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)

• प्रेक्षणकैः: with auspicious observances/inspections (rites)
• प्रेक्षणकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षणक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• शुभैः: auspicious
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; likely Sūta in the Tīrthamāhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Temple festival preparations: devotees carry folded fine cloth, trays of flowers and sandal paste; others sweep and wash the courtyard; a tall banner is raised near the gateway; crowds gather for auspicious viewing.

Characters & Entities

• bali (offerings)
• vastra (garments)
• gandha
• puṣpa
• mārjana
• dhvaja-dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-devotion is expressed through concrete acts of service—offering, beautifying, cleansing, and supporting public worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the description of worship performed in the kṣetra of Adhyāya 72, highlighting ritual service rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bali/offering, donating garments, anointing with fragrance, offering flowers, mārjana (cleansing), dhvaja-dāna (banners/standards), and auspicious ceremonial observances.