Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

चिताभस्मोपहारेण सद्यस्तुष्यति शंकरः

Transliteration

citābhasmopahāreṇa sadyastuṣyati śaṃkaraḥ

Translation

以火葬灰为供，圣者商羯罗（Śaṅkara）即刻欢喜。

Word by Word

• चित-अभस्म-उपहारेण: by/with the offering of funeral-pyre ash
• चित-अभस्म-उपहारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिता (प्रातिपदिक) + भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘चितायाः भस्मनः उपहारः’

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: immediately)

• तुष्यति: is pleased
• तुष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; is pleased

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (instructional narration within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close focus on the offering of sacred ash to the Śiva-liṅga; a subtle radiance or calm ‘approval’ pervades the shrine, indicating immediate divine pleasure.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva responds quickly to offerings that embody detachment and the truth of impermanence, symbolized by bhasma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the focus is the devotional efficacy of the bhasma offering.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer citā-bhasma (cremation ash) as an upahāra to Śiva for immediate propitiation.