Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

यच्चात्मनः प्रियं वस्तु गन्धपुष्पाक्षतादिकम् । निवेद्य शंभवे नित्यमुपायुंक्त ततः स्वयम्

Transliteration

yaccātmanaḥ priyaṃ vastu gandhapuṣpākṣatādikam | nivedya śaṃbhave nityamupāyuṃkta tataḥ svayam

Translation

凡他所珍爱的物品——如香料（檀香）、花、整粒米等——他都每日先奉献于商婆（湿婆），然后才亲自受用。

Word by Word

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• priyam: dear
• priyam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vastu: thing/object
• vastu: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• gandha-puṣpa-akṣata-ādikam: fragrance, flowers, rice-grains, etc.
• gandha-puṣpa-akṣata-ādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣata (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (गन्धः च पुष्पाणि च अक्षताः च) + ‘आदिक’ (etc.)

• nivedya: having offered/presented
• nivedya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vid (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• śaṃbhave: to Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhave: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• upāyuṃkta: used/partook (for himself)
• upāyuṃkta: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-yuj (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरवाचक (thereafter)

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Karta-vishesana (Emphasis on agent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मकर्तृवाचक (reflexive/emphatic)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devotee lays sandal paste, flowers, and akṣata before the liṅga; only after the offering does he take a small portion as prasāda, with humility.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Caṇḍaka
• Śabara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dedicate what you love to the Divine first; sanctified enjoyment becomes dharmic and devotion-centered.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is praised; the verse emphasizes household devotion and offering practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer dear items (gandha, flowers, akṣata, etc.) to Śiva daily, and only then use them oneself.