Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

द्वारकायां समुद्भूतां तुलसीं कृष्णसेविताम् । नित्यं बिभर्ति शिरसा स भवेत्त्रिदशाधिपः

Transliteration

dvārakāyāṃ samudbhūtāṃ tulasīṃ kṛṣṇasevitām | nityaṃ bibharti śirasā sa bhavettridaśādhipaḥ

Translation

من يحمل كلَّ يومٍ على رأسه التولسي التي نبتت في دواركا والتي يخدمها كريشنا، يصير سيّدًا بين الآلهة.

Word by Word

• dvārakāyām: in Dvārakā
• dvārakāyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvārakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• samudbhūtām: arisen; originated
• samudbhūtām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-bhū (भू धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (arisen/originated)

• tulasīm: Tulasī (holy basil)
• tulasīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tulasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇasevitām: served by Krishna; dear to Krishna
• kṛṣṇasevitām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa + sevita (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kṛṣṇena sevitā) / कर्मधारयार्थे (served by Krishna)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: always)

• bibharti: bears; carries; wears
• bibharti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhṛ (भृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• śirasā: with the head; on the head
• śirasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhavet: would become; may become
• bhavet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tridaśādhipaḥ: lord of the gods (Indra)
• tridaśādhipaḥ: Karta/Predicate Noun (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridaśa + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tridaśānām adhipaḥ)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya discourse style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in simple attire reverently places a fresh tulasī sprig upon the crown of the head; behind, the sea-walled city of Dvārakā with temple spires; Kṛṣṇa’s presence implied as a radiant aura blessing the act.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā
• Tulasī
• Kṛṣṇa
• Tridaśa (gods)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring tulasī as dear to Kṛṣṇa is a direct expression of bhakti, said to elevate the devotee to exalted spiritual and divine status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, specifically through the sanctity of tulasī associated with Kṛṣṇa’s service there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daily honoring/bearing tulasī from Dvārakā upon the head as a devotional observance.