Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेभ्यः करवीरं विशिष्यते । करवीर सहस्रेभ्यो द्रोणपुष्पं विशिष्यते

Transliteration

arkapuṣpasahasrebhyaḥ karavīraṃ viśiṣyate | karavīra sahasrebhyo droṇapuṣpaṃ viśiṣyate

Translation

Better than a thousand arka-flowers is a karavīra-flower; and better than a thousand karavīra-flowers is the droṇa-flower.

Word by Word

• अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेभ्यः: than a thousand arka-flowers
• अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-बहुवचनम् (Ablative plural)

• करवीरम्: karavīra-flower (oleander)
• करवीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√शिष् (धातु; ‘to excel/be distinguished’)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• करवीर: karavīra-
• करवीर: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण (समासपूर्वपदवत्)

• सहस्रेभ्यः: than a thousand
• सहस्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-बहुवचनम् (Ablative plural)

• द्रोणपुष्पम्: droṇa-flower
• द्रोणपुष्पम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Śiva (as Somnātha), within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra praise context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra / Somnātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-priest at Somnātha prepares a flower-offering tray, weighing arka, karavīra, and droṇa blossoms as the text proclaims their relative excellence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Arka flower
• Karavīra flower
• Droṇa flower

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Quality and sacred suitability of offerings matter in pūjā; certain flowers are praised as especially dear and potent for Śiva worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra’s Somnātha worship, where flower-offerings and their relative excellence are taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Using specific flowers in Śiva arcana, with an explicit hierarchy: droṇa above karavīra above arka.