Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

चातुर्मास्ये विशेषेण सेविताः सौख्यकारकाः । तिलोदकेन वृक्षाणां सेचनं सर्वकाम दम्

Transliteration

cāturmāsye viśeṣeṇa sevitāḥ saukhyakārakāḥ | tilodakena vṛkṣāṇāṃ secanaṃ sarvakāma dam

Translation

Surtout durant le Cāturmāsya, lorsqu’on les accomplit, ces actes deviennent dispensateurs de bonheur. Arroser les arbres avec l’eau au sésame (tilodaka) accorde l’accomplissement de tous les désirs.

Word by Word

• cāturmāsye: in the Cāturmāsya period
• cāturmāsye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturmāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (during Cāturmāsya)

• viśeṣeṇa: especially
• viśeṣeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; प्रकारेण (especially)

• sevitāḥ: (when) served
• sevitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sev (√sev धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (having been served/attended)

• saukhya-kārakāḥ: causing happiness
• saukhya-kārakāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saukhya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘सुखं करोति’ इति अर्थे (causing happiness)

• tila-udakena: with sesame-water
• tila-udakena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक) + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (with sesame-water)

• vṛkṣāṇām: of trees
• vṛkṣāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• secanam: watering
• secanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: secana (प्रातिपदिक; √sic धातु से भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• sarva-kāma-dam: granting all desires
• sarva-kāma-dam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + da (√dā धातु; द/दम् ‘giving’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘secanam’ इति विशेषण; द-प्रत्ययान्त (bestowing)

Speaker

Gālava

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees during monsoon months water a line of trees with sesame-infused water; the roots glow subtly; the atmosphere conveys happiness and fulfilled wishes; offerings are simple and compassionate.

Characters & Entities

• Cāturmāsya
• Tilodaka (sesame-water)
• Trees (Vṛkṣāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional ecology—serving trees in sacred time—creates both worldly well-being (sukha) and dharmic merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya context, though the practice is applicable widely.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sechana (watering) of trees with tilodaka (sesame-water), especially during Cāturmāsya.