Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

बिल्वे लक्ष्मीं तपो मेधां नित्यमायुष्यमेव च । क्षेत्रारामतडागेषु सर्वपात्रेषु चैव हि

Transliteration

bilve lakṣmīṃ tapo medhāṃ nityamāyuṣyameva ca | kṣetrārāmataḍāgeṣu sarvapātreṣu caiva hi

Translation

وبإناء البِلوَة تُنالُ الثروةُ والبركةُ (لاكشمي)، وأجرُ الزهدِ والتقشّف، وذكاءٌ نافذ، وطولُ عمرٍ دائم. حقًّا، يجري ذلك في الحقول والحدائق والبرك، ومع سائر الأواني هناك أيضًا.

Word by Word

• बिल्वे: in/at the bilva (tree)
• बिल्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मीम्: fortune, Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मेधाम्: intelligence
• मेधाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: constant, perpetual
• नित्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘आयुष्यं’ इति विशेषण

• आयुष्यम्: long life, longevity
• आयुष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

• क्षेत्रारामतडागेषु: in fields, gardens, and ponds
• क्षेत्रारामतडागेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र+आराम+तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (fields, gardens, and ponds)

• सर्वपात्रेषु: in all vessels
• सर्वपात्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व+पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (‘सर्वाणि पात्राणि’)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for/indeed)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (kṣetra-ārāma-taḍāga complex)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bilva-tree near a temple pond; pilgrims fashion a bilva-pātra and offer water; symbols of Lakṣmī (lotus, coins), medhā (scripture), and āyuḥ (kalasha/nectar) appear as allegorical motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Bilva
• Lakṣmī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred action integrates place and material: bilva—beloved in dharma—becomes a vehicle for prosperity, clarity of mind, and long life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra; the verse broadens the setting to ritual spaces like fields, gardens, and ponds within the sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use bilva as the pātra/associated material for rites to obtain prosperity, austerity-merit, intelligence, and longevity; the statement is presented as generally applicable across common ritual locales.