Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तत्स्थानं गालवोद्दिष्टं हर्षेण महतान्वितः । तत्राश्वत्थतरुं स्थाप्य पुत्रत्वे चाभिषेच्य च

Transliteration

tatsthānaṃ gālavoddiṣṭaṃ harṣeṇa mahatānvitaḥ | tatrāśvatthataruṃ sthāpya putratve cābhiṣecya ca

Translation

ولمّا بلغ الموضع الذي أشار إليه غالافا، وقد امتلأ فرحًا عظيمًا، غرس هناك شجرة الأشفَتّه (البيبال)، وأجرى لها طقس التتويج (أبهيشيكا) مُثبتًا إيّاها في منزلة الابن.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; (स्थानम् इति विशेषण)

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• गालवोद्दिष्टम्: indicated by Gālava
• गालवोद्दिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गालव + उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गालवेन उद्दिष्टम्)

• हर्षेण: with joy
• हर्षेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• महता: great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; (हर्षेण इति विशेषण—‘great joy’)

• अन्वितः: endowed; accompanied
• अन्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विदुरः इति कर्तृपदं गम्यते)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अश्वत्थतरुम्: an aśvattha tree
• अश्वत्थतरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थ + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अश्वत्थः एव तरुः/अश्वत्थ-तरुः)

• स्थाप्य: having स्थापित/placed
• स्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्राय (Gerund) ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive)

• पुत्रत्वे: in the status of sonhood; as a son
• पुत्रत्वे: Adhikarana (State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभिषेच्य: having consecrated/anointed
• अभिषेच्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्राय (Gerund) ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aśvattha-pratiṣṭhā-sthāna (within Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vidura joyfully plants/installs an aśvattha; a small kalaśa pours water in abhiṣeka; attendants hold offerings; the tree is adorned with cloth/garlands; the atmosphere is festive yet sacred.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Aśvattha (pipal tree)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nature can be ritually integrated into dharma; sanctifying a tree at a holy spot becomes a vehicle for merit and healing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The place indicated by Gālava within the Hāṭakeśvara sacred region (kṣetra-context of Adhyāya 59).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sthāpana (installation) of an aśvattha tree and abhiṣeka (consecration) granting it putratva (son-status).