Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

रोपितैर्देववृक्षैस्तु यत्फलं लक्षकोटिभिः । न्यग्रोधवृक्षेणैकेन रोपितेन फलं हि तत्

Transliteration

ropitairdevavṛkṣaistu yatphalaṃ lakṣakoṭibhiḥ | nyagrodhavṛkṣeṇaikena ropitena phalaṃ hi tat

Translation

Welche Frucht auch immer durch das Pflanzen von zig Millionen göttlicher Bäume erlangt wird—dieselbe Frucht wird durch das Pflanzen eines einzigen Nyagrodha (Banyan) gewonnen.

Word by Word

• ropitaiḥ: by planted
• ropitaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ropita (कृदन्त; √ruh/√rop? caus. √ruh 'रोपयति' from √ruh (धातु) / ropaya- causative)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय), पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया) बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• deva-vṛkṣaiḥ: by divine trees
• deva-vṛkṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानां वृक्षाः); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चयार्थ-भेदक (but/indeed)

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन; विशेषण-सम्बन्धः

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन

• lakṣa-koṭibhiḥ: by lakhs and crores (in number)
• lakṣa-koṭibhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (लक्षाश्च कोटयश्च); स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन (कोटि-शब्दानुसार)

• nyagrodha-vṛkṣeṇa: by one banyan tree
• nyagrodha-vṛkṣeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyagrodha (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (न्यग्रोध एव वृक्षः); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन

• ekena: by one
• ekena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ropitena: planted
• ropitena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ropita (कृदन्त; √ruh/ropaya causative)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nyagrodha-ropana (within Dvārakā/Prabhāsa pilgrimage dharma)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single majestic banyan sapling is planted; behind it, a visionary montage shows countless celestial trees, indicating equivalence of merit; pilgrims rest in its future shade near a temple path.

Characters & Entities

• Nyagrodha (banyan)
• Devavṛkṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain sacred trees carry exceptionally high religious merit; banyan planting is praised as supremely fruitful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s sacred practices are being extolled within the Dvārakā-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Planting a Nyagrodha (banyan) tree is recommended as an act yielding immense punya.