Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

धातूनां हाटकमसि स्फटिकश्चोपलेष्वसि । नीलोत्पलं प्रसूनेषु वृक्षेषु तुलसी भवान्

Transliteration

dhātūnāṃ hāṭakamasi sphaṭikaścopaleṣvasi | nīlotpalaṃ prasūneṣu vṛkṣeṣu tulasī bhavān

Translation

Parmi les métaux, tu es l’or ; parmi les pierres, tu es le cristal. Parmi les fleurs, tu es le lotus bleu ; parmi les arbres, tu es la sainte Tulasī.

Word by Word

• धातूनाम्: of minerals/metals
• धातूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• हाटकम्: gold
• हाटकम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हाटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्फटिकः: crystal
• स्फटिकः: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फटिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• उपलेषु: among stones
• उपलेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नीलोत्पलम्: blue lotus
• नीलोत्पलम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (नीलं च तत् उत्पलम्)

• प्रसूनेषु: among flowers
• प्रसूनेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसून (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• वृक्षेषु: among trees
• वृक्षेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• तुलसी: Tulasī (holy basil)
• तुलसी: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; आदरार्थे द्वितीयपुरुषार्थकः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa default dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic still-life of sacred excellence: gold gleam, crystal translucence, a blue lotus in bloom, and a tulasī plant with fresh leaves—arranged as offerings before an unseen sanctum, suggesting the deity’s presence through ideal worship materials.

Characters & Entities

• Hāṭaka (gold)
• Sphaṭika (crystal)
• Nīlotpala (blue lotus)
• Tulasī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine is recognized in the purest and most sacred substances used in worship, turning material symbols into spiritual reminders.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single tīrtha is named; within Kāśīkhaṇḍa this supports the devotional culture of Kāśī where such offerings and symbols are common.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly supports pūjā through sacred items (especially Tulasī), though no step-by-step rite is stated.