Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

करवीरो विशेषेण नंद्यावर्तस्तथैव च । मल्लिका वा गृहे येषां भूतयोग्यं गृहं हि तत्

Transliteration

karavīro viśeṣeṇa naṃdyāvartastathaiva ca | mallikā vā gṛhe yeṣāṃ bhūtayogyaṃ gṛhaṃ hi tat

Translation

Especially where a house has karavīra (oleander), and likewise the nandyāvarta plant, or mallikā (jasmine)—indeed that house is fit to be a dwelling of the bhūtas (spirits).

Word by Word

• करवीरः: karavīra (oleander)
• करवीरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial: especially)

• नन्द्यावर्तः: nandyāvarta (a plant)
• नन्द्यावर्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द्यावर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); नाम-शब्द (plant-name)

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/so)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic: just/indeed)

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

• मल्लिका: mallikā (jasmine)
• मल्लिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्लिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• येषाम्: of whom; whose
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भूतयोग्यम्: fit for beings; suitable for living beings
• भूतयोग्यम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying gṛham)

• गृहम्: house
• गृहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (for/indeed)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (Kumāra) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A house threshold adorned with flowering karavīra and jasmine; despite beauty and fragrance, the scene hints at unseen presences—bhūtas drawn to the space—while a devotee lights a lamp to restore auspiciousness.

Characters & Entities

• Karavīra
• Nandyāvarta
• Mallikā
• Bhūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse continues omen-tradition: certain signs are used to indicate a spiritually unsafe household, encouraging vigilance and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa) is the textual setting, though the verse focuses on household signs.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the passage functions as a diagnostic/omen list rather than a ritual manual.