Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

स्वयं पतितपुष्पाणि त्यजेदुपहतानि च । तुलसी शतपत्रं च गन्धारी दमनस्तथा

Transliteration

svayaṃ patitapuṣpāṇi tyajedupahatāni ca | tulasī śatapatraṃ ca gandhārī damanastathā

Translation

Il faut jeter les fleurs tombées d’elles-mêmes et celles qui sont abîmées. Pour le culte, on peut employer la tulasī, la śata-patra (fleur aux cent pétales, semblable à la rose), la gandhārī, ainsi que la damana.

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: by oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb

• पतित-पुष्पाणि: fallen flowers
• पतित-पुष्पाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patita (कृदन्त, √पत्) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (पतितानि पुष्पाणि) = Neuter, Nom/Acc plural

• त्यजेत्: should discard
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन = should abandon

• उपहतानि: damaged
• उपहतानि: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upahata (कृदन्त, √हन् with उप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (पतितपुष्पाणि इत्यस्य) = Neuter Nom/Acc plural adjective

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तुलसी: tulsi (holy basil)
• तुलसी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tulasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Feminine Nom singular

• शतपत्रम्: śatapatra (hundred-petalled flower/lotus)
• शतपत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शतस्य पत्रम्) = Neuter Nom/Acc singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गन्धारी: gandhārī (a fragrant plant)
• गन्धारी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandhārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Feminine Nom singular (plant-name)

• दमनः: damana (a plant)
• दमनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: damana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = Masculine Nom singular (plant-name)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चयार्थ) = indeclinable, ‘likewise/also’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced from Purāṇic māhātmya frame in Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Someśvara)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Offerings laid before the liṅga: fresh tulasī sprigs, a full śata-patra bloom, gandhārī and damana arranged neatly; a small pile of fallen/damaged flowers is set aside for disposal.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Someśvara (Somanātha)
• Tulasī
• Śata-patra
• Gandhārī
• Damana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Respect for the deity is shown by offering what is whole and pure, not what is leftover, fallen, or blemished.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, by detailing proper materials for Someśvara/Somanātha worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reject self-fallen and damaged flowers; approved items include tulasī, śata-patra, gandhārī, and damana.