Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

गन्धकुंकुमकस्तूरीकर्पूरागुरुलेपनम् । चित्रमाल्यावतंसश्च यथेष्टं मृष्टभोजनम्

Transliteration

gandhakuṃkumakastūrīkarpūrāgurulepanam | citramālyāvataṃsaśca yatheṣṭaṃ mṛṣṭabhojanam

Translation

Có hương liệu và dầu xoa—nhụy tây, kuṅkuma, xạ hương, long não và hồ gỗ trầm; có vòng hoa và trâm cài tóc rực rỡ, cùng mỹ thực tùy ý thọ dụng.

Word by Word

• गन्ध-कुङ्कुम-कस्तूरी-कर्पूर-अगुरु-लेपनम्: an unguent/paste of fragrance, saffron, musk, camphor, and aloe-wood
• गन्ध-कुङ्कुम-कस्तूरी-कर्पूर-अगुरु-लेपनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक) + कस्तूरी (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक) + अगुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + लेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (समूह/mixture) ‘(गन्धादीनां) लेपनम्’

• चित्र-माल्य-अवतंसः: a decorative garland-ornament
• चित्र-माल्य-अवतंसः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अवतंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘चित्राणि माल्यानि यस्य सः अवतंसः’ (garland-ornament)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’ (from ‘अवतंसश्च’)

• यथा-इष्टम्: as desired, at will
• यथा-इष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + इष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष् (धातु), क्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) ‘यथेष्टम्’ = as desired

• मृष्ट-भोजनम्: delicious/refined food
• मृष्ट-भोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृष्ट (कृदन्त; √मृज् (धातु), क्त; ‘refined/clean’) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘मृष्टं भोजनम्’

Speaker

Narrator (context not explicit in snippet; likely a Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A perfumed dressing chamber: bowls of saffron and musk, camphor crystals, aloe-wood paste being applied; heaps of garlands; colorful hair ornaments; trays of delicacies laid out in abundance, suggesting ‘as much as desired’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It evokes the abundance of pleasing substances which, in dhārmic context, can be elevated into offerings (upacāras) when directed toward worship and righteous acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse lists items typically associated with enjoyment and also temple worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied pūjā-material culture (gandha, mālya, lepa) is referenced, but no explicit injunction is stated in this verse.