Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

श्रीखंडागरुकाश्मीरशशिनः क्रमशोऽधिकाः । मां च तैश्च समालभ्य स्याच्छ्रीमान्सुभगः सुखी

Transliteration

śrīkhaṃḍāgarukāśmīraśaśinaḥ kramaśo'dhikāḥ | māṃ ca taiśca samālabhya syācchrīmānsubhagaḥ sukhī

Translation

檀香（室利坎陀）、沉香、迦湿弥罗藏红花与龙脑香，依次愈加殊胜。亦以此等香料涂抹于我，则得富饶、吉祥与安乐。

Word by Word

• śrīkhaṇḍa-agaru-kāśmīra-śaśinaḥ: sandalwood, agaru, saffron, and camphor
• śrīkhaṇḍa-agaru-kāśmīra-śaśinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīkhaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + agaru (प्रातिपदिक) + kāśmīra (प्रातिपदिक) + śaśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चारः पदार्थाः)

• kramaśaḥ: in order, successively
• kramaśaḥ: Kriya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kramaśaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• adhikāḥ: superior (increasingly)
• adhikāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ते पदार्थाः)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• taiḥ: with those
• taiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• samālabhya: having applied/anointed
• samālabhya: Kriya (Action qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-labh (धा॒तु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); अर्थः—‘समालभ्य’ = having anointed/touched/applicated

• syāt: would become
• syāt: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धा॒तु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• śrīmān: prosperous
• śrīmān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरः/सः)

• subhagaḥ: fortunate, charming
• subhagaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: subhaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• sukhī: happy
• sukhī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śiva (implied by “mām”, within Sūta’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The deity (addressed as 'me') receives an anointing: attendants grind sandalwood, present agaru, saffron, and camphor; the devotee applies fragrant paste to the icon, and the scene radiates prosperity motifs (lotus, coins, full granaries).

Characters & Entities

• Śrīkhaṇḍa (sandalwood)
• Agaru
• Kāśmīra (saffron)
• Camphor

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offering the finest fragrances to Śiva symbolizes refined devotion and yields auspiciousness—prosperity, charm, and happiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; ‘Kāśmīra’ appears as the source of saffron, not as a pilgrimage narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samālepa/anulepana: anointing the deity with sandalwood, agaru, saffron, and camphor, regarded in ascending excellence.