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

Mit einem bilva-Gefäß erlangt man Wohlstand (Lakṣmī), asketisches Verdienst, scharfen Geist und beständige Langlebigkeit. Wahrlich, dies gilt in Feldern, Gärten und Teichen — und ebenso für alle Gefäße dort.

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.