Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 150

Devanagari script

प्रतिमां मधुवृक्षस्य तामेव प्रतिपूजयेत् । तस्मै सर्वं तु विप्राय आचार्याय प्रदीयते

Transliteration

pratimāṃ madhuvṛkṣasya tāmeva pratipūjayet | tasmai sarvaṃ tu viprāya ācāryāya pradīyate

Translation

Qu’on façonne une image de l’arbre Madhu et qu’on adore cette image même avec le respect requis. Ensuite, que tout soit remis à un brāhmaṇa—à son propre ācārya—comme don conclusif.

Word by Word

• प्रतिमाम्: an image/idol
• प्रतिमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• मधु-वृक्षस्य: of the honey-tree
• मधु-वृक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘मधुवृक्ष’ (honey-tree)

• ताम्: that (image)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रतिपूजयेत्: should worship duly
• प्रतिपूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• विप्राय: to the brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• आचार्याय: to the teacher
• आचार्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान; ‘विप्राय’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• प्रदीयते: is given/should be given
• प्रदीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Madhu-vṛkṣa (vrata-sthāna)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crafted icon of a Madhu-tree placed on a small altar; devotee offers flowers, incense, lamp; afterward the icon and offerings are respectfully handed to the seated ācārya-brāhmaṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Madhuvṛkṣa (Madhūka tree)
• Vipra
• Ācārya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship culminates in gratitude and giving—honor the sacred symbol, then support the teacher who safeguards dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite is narrated within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred Narmadā context rather than a single named shrine in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of a Madhu-tree image followed by donating the ritual materials to a brāhmaṇa preceptor (ācārya).