Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

विश्वेभिश्च मधूकश्च गुग्गुलः पिशिताशनैः । सूर्येणार्कः पवित्रेण सोमे नाथ त्रिपत्रकः

Transliteration

viśvebhiśca madhūkaśca guggulaḥ piśitāśanaiḥ | sūryeṇārkaḥ pavitreṇa some nātha tripatrakaḥ

Translation

شجرةُ مَدهوكا تُعَدُّ مقدَّسةً لدى الفِشْوِدِيفَة، وشجرةُ غُغْغُلو لدى آكلي اللحم. وشجرةُ أَرْكا يتخذها سُوريا مطهِّرًا؛ وأما تْرِپَتْرَكا، يا ربّ، فيتخذها سوما (القمر).

Word by Word

• विश्वेभिः: by the Viśvedevas
• विश्वेभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; देवगण-नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• मधूकः: Madhūka (tree)
• मधूकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; वृक्ष-नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• गुग्गुलः: Guggulu
• गुग्गुलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुग्गुलु/गुग्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; वृक्ष/गन्धद्रव्य-नाम

• पिशिताशनैः: by flesh-eaters
• पिशिताशनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशित + अशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; ‘पिशितम् अश्नन्ति’ = flesh-eaters (rākṣasas etc.)

• सूर्येण: by the Sun
• सूर्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्

• अर्कः: Arka (tree)
• अर्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; वृक्ष-नाम (Calotropis)

• पवित्रेण: by Pavitra
• पवित्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; देव/वस्तु-नाम (Pavitra)

• सोमे: in Soma / with Soma
• सोमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; ‘सोमे’ = in/under Soma (or by Soma, if read as तृतीया; here locative form)

• नाथ: O lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• त्रिपत्रकः: Tripatraka (three-leaved plant)
• त्रिपत्रकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + पत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; ‘त्रीणि पत्राणि यस्य’ (name of a plant)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual pavilion near a tīrtha: offerings laid out—madhūka blossoms, guggulu resin incense, arka leaves/flowers, and tripatraka leaves—while Viśvedevas appear as a collective radiance, Sūrya as a golden orb, Soma as a cool moon-disc; smoke of guggulu curls upward.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvedevas
• Sūrya
• Soma (Moon)
• Madhūka
• Guggulu
• Arka
• Tripatraka
• Piśitāśana (flesh-eaters)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Different beings are linked to different sacred plants, suggesting an ordered sacred ecology where worship uses appropriate natural symbols.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha practice involving sacred plants is being taught; the verse itself does not specify the named location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied guidance on selecting and venerating particular plants (arka, tripatraka, etc.) according to their sacred associations.