Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

सुगन्धफलपुष्पाश्च सुगन्धदलसंयुताः । तेषामणुं समादाय श्रेष्ठश्रेष्ठतमं रसम्

Transliteration

sugandhaphalapuṣpāśca sugandhadalasaṃyutāḥ | teṣāmaṇuṃ samādāya śreṣṭhaśreṣṭhatamaṃ rasam

Translation

Jene Bäume trugen duftende Früchte und Blüten und Blätter voller Wohlgeruch. (Die Biene) nimmt davon nur einen winzigen Teil, doch gewinnt die feinste, vortrefflichste Essenz.

Word by Word

• sugandha-phala-puṣpāḥ: having fragrant fruits and flowers
• sugandha-phala-puṣpāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘drumāḥ’)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• sugandha-dala-saṃyutāḥ: endowed with fragrant leaves
• sugandha-dala-saṃyutāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + dala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyuta (युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• aṇum: a small portion/particle
• aṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• samādāya: having taken
• samādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having taken’

• śreṣṭha-śreṣṭha-tamam: the very best (most excellent)
• śreṣṭha-śreṣṭha-tamam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अतिशय-विशेषण (superlative emphasis)

• rasam: essence/juice
• rasam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice; likely a Purāṇic teacher addressing dvijas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of perfumed blossoms and fruits; a bee delicately sipping a tiny amount, yet symbolically drawing out the supreme essence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Like a bee taking only a tiny drop yet obtaining the finest nectar, a seeker should take the essential truth (sāra) from many teachings and experiences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya section, but this snippet itself does not name a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed here; it teaches discernment and sāra-grahaṇa (extracting the essence).