Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

मधुदूर्वाक्षतैहोमैर्ग्रहहोमादनंतरम् । गणानां त्वेति मंत्रेण दशसाहस्रिकस्तथा

Transliteration

madhudūrvākṣataihomairgrahahomādanaṃtaram | gaṇānāṃ tveti maṃtreṇa daśasāhasrikastathā

Translation

گ्रह ہوم کے بعد شہد، دُروَا گھاس اور اکھنڈ اَکشت (سالم چاول) کے ساتھ ہوم کی آہوتیاں دے؛ پھر منتر “گَنانام تْوا…” کے ساتھ دس ہزار کی تعداد والا جپ/آہوتی بھی اسی طرح کرے۔

Word by Word

• मधु-दूर्वा-अक्षतैः: with honey, dūrvā-grass, and unbroken rice
• मधु-दूर्वा-अक्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—मधु च दूर्वा च अक्षताः च (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• होमैः: by/with oblations (homas)
• होमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ग्रह-होमात्: after the graha-homa (planetary oblation)
• ग्रह-होमात्: Apadana (Ablative/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—ग्रहाणां होमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Avyaya (Temporal/कालसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• गणानाम्: of the Gaṇas
• गणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• मन्त्रेण: with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दश-साहस्रिकः: ten-thousandfold/consisting of ten thousand (recitations)
• दश-साहस्रिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + साहस्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—दशसहस्रसंख्यकः (द्विगु)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Avyaya (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Deductively: a Purāṇic narrator/instructor addressing a king

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha region)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (rājan/nṛpa) addressed in the passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fire-altar at a western tīrtha: priests pour honey and place dūrvā and unbroken rice into the flames; the yajamāna sits nearby with folded hands as the ‘gaṇānāṃ tvā…’ mantra is repeated in a measured count.

Characters & Entities

• graha (planetary forces)
• dūrvā
• madhu (honey)
• akṣata
• mantra: gaṇānāṃ tvā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual practice integrates cosmic appeasement (graha-śānti) with devotion to Gaṇeśa to secure clarity and auspicious outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to Arbuda-kṣetra’s Purāṇic ritual tradition within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After graha-homa, offer homa with honey, dūrvā, and akṣata; then perform a 10,000-count rite using the “gaṇānāṃ tvā…” mantra.