Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

रोपितैर्देववृक्षैस्तु यत्फलं लक्षकोटिभिः । न्यग्रोधवृक्षेणैकेन रोपितेन फलं हि तत्

Transliteration

ropitairdevavṛkṣaistu yatphalaṃ lakṣakoṭibhiḥ | nyagrodhavṛkṣeṇaikena ropitena phalaṃ hi tat

Translation

無数の神樹を幾千万と植えて得られる功徳の果は、ただ一本のニヤグローダ（Nyagrodha、バニヤン）を植えることによっても、まさに同じく得られる。

Word by Word

• ropitaiḥ: by planted
• ropitaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ropita (कृदन्त; √ruh/√rop? caus. √ruh 'रोपयति' from √ruh (धातु) / ropaya- causative)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय), पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया) बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• deva-vṛkṣaiḥ: by divine trees
• deva-vṛkṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानां वृक्षाः); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चयार्थ-भेदक (but/indeed)

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन; विशेषण-सम्बन्धः

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन

• lakṣa-koṭibhiḥ: by lakhs and crores (in number)
• lakṣa-koṭibhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (लक्षाश्च कोटयश्च); स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन (कोटि-शब्दानुसार)

• nyagrodha-vṛkṣeṇa: by one banyan tree
• nyagrodha-vṛkṣeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyagrodha (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (न्यग्रोध एव वृक्षः); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन

• ekena: by one
• ekena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ropitena: planted
• ropitena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ropita (कृदन्त; √ruh/ropaya causative)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nyagrodha-ropana (within Dvārakā/Prabhāsa pilgrimage dharma)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single majestic banyan sapling is planted; behind it, a visionary montage shows countless celestial trees, indicating equivalence of merit; pilgrims rest in its future shade near a temple path.

Characters & Entities

• Nyagrodha (banyan)
• Devavṛkṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain sacred trees carry exceptionally high religious merit; banyan planting is praised as supremely fruitful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s sacred practices are being extolled within the Dvārakā-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Planting a Nyagrodha (banyan) tree is recommended as an act yielding immense punya.