Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

अखंडबिल्वपत्रेण एकेन शिवमूर्धनि । निहितेन नरैः पुण्यं प्राप्यते लक्षपुष्पजम्

Transliteration

akhaṃḍabilvapatreṇa ekena śivamūrdhani | nihitena naraiḥ puṇyaṃ prāpyate lakṣapuṣpajam

Translation

ശിവന്റെ ശിരസ്സിൽ ഒരു അഖണ്ഡ ബില്വപത്രം വെച്ചാലും മനുഷ്യന് ലക്ഷപുഷ്പാർപ്പണഫലമായ പുണ്യം ലഭിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अखण्डबिल्वपत्रेण: with an unbroken bilva leaf
• अखण्डबिल्वपत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखण्ड-बिल्व-पत्र (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: अखण्ड + बिल्व + पत्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एकेन: with one (single)
• एकेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (अखण्डबिल्वपत्रेण)

• शिवमूर्धनि: on Śiva’s head
• शिवमूर्धनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: शिव + मूर्धन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• निहितेन: by (it being) placed
• निहितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-धा (धातु) + क्त (निहित)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘निहित’; नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; साधनभावे (by being placed)

• नरैः: by men, by people
• नरैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive: ‘is obtained’)

• लक्षपुष्पजम्: born of (offering) a lakh flowers
• लक्षपुष्पजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष-पुष्प-ज (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: लक्ष + पुष्प + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (पुण्यम्)

Speaker

Prākārakarṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up devotional moment: a single pristine bilva leaf is placed atop the Śiva-liṅga (as ‘Śiva’s head’), radiating subtle light, while heaps of flowers appear in the background as a comparison.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Small offerings made with right method and devotion can surpass grand offerings—Śiva especially accepts bilva with great favor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse glorifies Śiva-pūjā through bilva offering.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Place a single unbroken bilva leaf on Śiva (Śiva-liṅga/mastaka) to gain great merit.