Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तत्राऽक्षय्यवटोऽप्यस्ति सप्तपातालमूलवान् । प्रलयेपि यमारुह्य मृकंडतनयोऽवसत्

Transliteration

tatrā'kṣayyavaṭo'pyasti saptapātālamūlavān | pralayepi yamāruhya mṛkaṃḍatanayo'vasat

Translation

അവിടെ അക്ഷയവടവും ഉണ്ട്; അതിന്റെ വേരുകൾ ഏഴ് പാതാളങ്ങളോളം എത്തുന്നു. പ്രളയകാലത്തും അതിൽ കയറി മൃകണ്ഡുവിന്റെ പുത്രൻ (മാർക്കണ്ഡേയൻ) സുരക്ഷിതമായി വസിച്ചു.

Word by Word

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

• अक्षय्यवटः: the imperishable banyan tree
• अक्षय्यवटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय्य-वट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अक्षय्यः वटः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• अस्ति: exists/is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 3rd sg)

• सप्तपातालमूलवान्: having roots in the seven netherworlds
• सप्तपातालमूलवान्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त-पाताल-मूलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सप्तसु पातालेषु मूलानि यस्य)

• प्रलये: at the dissolution
• प्रलये: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारार्थक अव्यय (even)

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular); सर्वनाम

• आरुह्य: having ascended
• आरुह्य: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• मृकण्डतनयः: the son of Mṛkaṇḍa (Mārkaṇḍeya)
• मृकण्डतनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृकण्ड-तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मृकण्डस्य तनयः)

• अवसत्: dwelt
• अवसत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperfect, 3rd sg)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Akṣaya-vaṭa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal banyan with vast aerial roots descending like pillars; beneath it, pilgrims gaze upward; a pralaya vision overlays—endless waters—yet the tree stands; Markandeya (son of Mṛkaṇḍa) is shown climbing and dwelling safely.

Characters & Entities

• Akṣaya-vaṭa
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Mṛkaṇḍa
• Prayāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prayāga contains imperishable sanctity—symbolized by Akṣaya-vaṭa—enduring even through pralaya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Akṣaya-vaṭa at Prayāga, a famed sacred banyan associated with timeless protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse highlights darśana and sanctity of the tree as a place of refuge.