Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

ते पुष्पाणि समानीय नानावर्णानि सर्वशः । वृक्षाणामतिगंधीनि न तेषां हर्षकारणम्

Transliteration

te puṣpāṇi samānīya nānāvarṇāni sarvaśaḥ | vṛkṣāṇāmatigaṃdhīni na teṣāṃ harṣakāraṇam

Translation

Ils rassemblent des fleurs de toute sorte—aux couleurs multiples et d’un parfum très suave, cueillies aux arbres—pourtant ce n’est pas là la véritable cause de leur joie.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुष्पाणि: flowers
• पुष्पाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• समानीय: having brought together
• समानीय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having brought/collected)

• नाना-वर्णानि: of various colors
• नाना-वर्णानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पुष्पाणि)

• सर्वशः: in every way
• सर्वशः: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in every way/entirely)

• वृक्षाणाम्: of trees
• वृक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अति-गन्धीनि: very fragrant
• अति-गन्धीनि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पुष्पाणि)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• तेषाम्: for them / of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• हर्ष-कारणम्: a cause of joy
• हर्ष-कारणम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing explanation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas and ascetics gather multi-colored, intensely fragrant flowers from trees; baskets overflow with blossoms, yet faces show composed focus—joy rooted in vow-fulfillment rather than mere fragrance.

Characters & Entities

• Vipras/tapasvins (they)
• Flowers (puṣpa)
• Trees (vṛkṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual beauty (fragrant flowers) is supportive, but the deeper joy comes from devoted worship and faithful completion of vrata.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where pūjā with flowers is part of the sacred worship culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Collecting and offering varied, fragrant flowers as an upacāra (service-item) in worship.