Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तत्स्थानं गालवोद्दिष्टं हर्षेण महतान्वितः । तत्राश्वत्थतरुं स्थाप्य पुत्रत्वे चाभिषेच्य च

Transliteration

tatsthānaṃ gālavoddiṣṭaṃ harṣeṇa mahatānvitaḥ | tatrāśvatthataruṃ sthāpya putratve cābhiṣecya ca

Translation

ಗಾಲವನು ಸೂಚಿಸಿದ ಸ್ಥಳವನ್ನು ತಲುಪಿ ಮಹಾ ಹರ್ಷದಿಂದ, ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥ ವೃಕ್ಷವನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಿ, ಅದನ್ನು ಪುತ್ರಸ್ಥಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಭಿಷೇಕಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; (स्थानम् इति विशेषण)

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• गालवोद्दिष्टम्: indicated by Gālava
• गालवोद्दिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गालव + उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गालवेन उद्दिष्टम्)

• हर्षेण: with joy
• हर्षेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• महता: great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; (हर्षेण इति विशेषण—‘great joy’)

• अन्वितः: endowed; accompanied
• अन्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विदुरः इति कर्तृपदं गम्यते)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अश्वत्थतरुम्: an aśvattha tree
• अश्वत्थतरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थ + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अश्वत्थः एव तरुः/अश्वत्थ-तरुः)

• स्थाप्य: having स्थापित/placed
• स्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्राय (Gerund) ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive)

• पुत्रत्वे: in the status of sonhood; as a son
• पुत्रत्वे: Adhikarana (State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभिषेच्य: having consecrated/anointed
• अभिषेच्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्राय (Gerund) ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aśvattha-pratiṣṭhā-sthāna (within Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vidura joyfully plants/installs an aśvattha; a small kalaśa pours water in abhiṣeka; attendants hold offerings; the tree is adorned with cloth/garlands; the atmosphere is festive yet sacred.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Aśvattha (pipal tree)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nature can be ritually integrated into dharma; sanctifying a tree at a holy spot becomes a vehicle for merit and healing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The place indicated by Gālava within the Hāṭakeśvara sacred region (kṣetra-context of Adhyāya 59).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sthāpana (installation) of an aśvattha tree and abhiṣeka (consecration) granting it putratva (son-status).