Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

धर्मश्रवणनिष्ठस्य साधूनां संसदि स्वयम् । श्रुत्वास्मि पूजयामीशं बिल्वपत्रैरखंडितैः

Transliteration

dharmaśravaṇaniṣṭhasya sādhūnāṃ saṃsadi svayam | śrutvāsmi pūjayāmīśaṃ bilvapatrairakhaṃḍitaiḥ

Translation

ധർമ്മശ്രവണത്തിൽ നിഷ്ഠയുള്ള സജ്ജനരുടെ സഭയിൽ, അവരുടെ ഉപദേശം ശ്രവിച്ച് ഞാൻ തന്നെ അഖണ്ഡ ബില്വപത്രങ്ങളാൽ ഈശ്വരനെ പൂജിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• धर्मश्रवणनिष्ठस्य: of one devoted to hearing dharma
• धर्मश्रवणनिष्ठस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-श्रवण-निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: धर्म + श्रवण + निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (सम्बन्धः: ‘of one devoted to hearing dharma’)

• साधूनाम्: of the saints
• साधूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• संसदि: in the assembly
• संसदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचकं (adverb: ‘personally/oneself’)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive): ‘having heard’

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्

• पूजयामि: I worship
• पूजयामि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ईशम्: the Lord (Śiva)
• ईशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• बिल्वपत्रैः: with bilva leaves
• बिल्वपत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व-पत्र (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: बिल्व + पत्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• अखण्डितैः: unbroken, intact
• अखण्डितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखण्डित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण, खण्ड् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (बिल्वपत्रैः)

Speaker

Prākārakarṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm assembly of sādhus reciting dharma; the devotee, humbled, approaches a Śiva-liṅga and offers fresh, unbroken bilva leaves with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hearing dharma in the company of saints naturally culminates in sincere worship and lasting merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it emphasizes sādhusaṅga and Śiva worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering unbroken bilva leaves in the worship of Śiva.