Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

पंचगव्येन संस्नाप्य ततः पंचामृतेन वै । यक्षकर्दमलेपेन लिप्त्वा पुष्पैः प्रपूज्य च

Transliteration

paṃcagavyena saṃsnāpya tataḥ paṃcāmṛtena vai | yakṣakardamalepena liptvā puṣpaiḥ prapūjya ca

Translation

اس نے (اُن باقیات کو) پہلے پنچ گویہ سے غسل دیا، پھر یقیناً پنچامرت سے؛ یَکش کردَم کے لیپ سے مل کر اور پھولوں سے بھی پوجا کی۔

Word by Word

• पञ्चगव्येन: with pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• पञ्चगव्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चगव्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्चानां गव्यानां समाहारः)

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed/washed
• संस्नाप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्- स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; causative sense contextually ‘having bathed/washed’

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• पञ्चामृतेन: with pañcāmṛta (five nectars)
• पञ्चामृतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चामृत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु (पञ्चानाम् अमृतानां/मधुरद्रव्याणां समाहारः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• यक्षकर्दमलेपेन: with a smear of yakṣa-mud/paste
• यक्षकर्दमलेपेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष-कर्दम-लेप (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (लेप-शब्दानुसार), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (यक्षस्य कर्दमः, तस्य लेपः)

• लिप्त्वा: having smeared
• लिप्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having smeared/anointed)

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• प्रपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• प्रपूज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having worshipped)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (as recipient tīrtha)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small ritual space: Dhanaṃjaya carefully bathes the bone-relics with pañcagavya and pañcāmṛta, then applies a sacred paste and offers flowers; vessels, conch, and a calm, reverent posture dominate the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcagavya
• Pañcāmṛta
• Yakṣa-kardama
• Pūjā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rites performed with purity and devotion sanctify transitional moments (death-rites) and express dharmic care for the departed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named in this verse; it occurs within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa narrative frame and aligns with Gaṅgā-oriented sacred practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing with pañcagavya and pañcāmṛta, anointing with yakṣa-kardama paste, and worship with flowers.