Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

सरलो देवदारुश्च शालाश्च खदिरास्तथा । समिदर्थं प्रशस्ताः स्युरेते वृक्षा विशेषतः

Transliteration

saralo devadāruśca śālāśca khadirāstathā | samidarthaṃ praśastāḥ syurete vṛkṣā viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Saralā, devadāru, śālā und khadira—diese Bäume werden insbesondere dafür gerühmt, als samidh (Opferanzündholz) verwendet zu werden.

Word by Word

• सरलः: sarala (pine/deodar-like tree)
• सरलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवदारुः: devadāru (deodar cedar)
• देवदारुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवदारु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (deva + dāru)

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

• शालाः: śālā trees (sal/related)
• शालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• खदिराः: khadira (acacia) trees
• खदिराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खदिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अन्वयार्थक (conjunctive adverb 'also')

• समित्-अर्थम्: for (making) fuel-sticks (samidh)
• समित्-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समित् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative: 'for the purpose of')

• प्रशस्ताः: commended; approved
• प्रशस्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शंस् (धातु) + प्र- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• स्युः: would be; are considered
• स्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• वृक्षाः: trees
• वृक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विशेषतः: especially; in particular
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A homa-kuṇḍa near the Prabhāsa shrine; priests place neatly cut samidh sticks labeled by tree type—sarala and devadāru resinous, khadira dark and dense—flames rise steady and bright.

Characters & Entities

• Sarala
• Devadāru
• Śālā
• Khadira
• Samidh

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right means support right ends: the tradition assigns specific, praised materials to sustain sacrificial action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose māhātmya includes practical yajña/śrāddha material guidance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sarala, devadāru, śālā, and khadira are especially recommended as samidh (sacrificial kindling).