Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

सच्छास्त्रेभ्य इति श्रुत्वा पूजयाम्यहमीश्वरम् । त्रिकालं श्रद्धया पत्रैः श्रीवृक्षस्य त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः

Transliteration

sacchāstrebhya iti śrutvā pūjayāmyahamīśvaram | trikālaṃ śraddhayā patraiḥ śrīvṛkṣasya tribhistribhiḥ

Translation

സത്‌ശാസ്ത്രങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നിതു ശ്രവിച്ച് ഞാൻ ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ ഈശ്വരനെ പൂജിക്കുന്നു—ദിവസം ത്രികാലവും, ശ്രീവൃക്ഷം (ബില്വം) എന്നതിന്റെ മൂന്ന് മൂന്ന് ഇലകളാൽ.

Word by Word

• सत्: good, true
• सत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गरूपेण पूर्वपदम्; ‘सत्’ = शुभ/सम्यक् (good/true)

• शास्त्रेभ्यः: from the scriptures
• शास्त्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (5th/Ablative), बहुवचनम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-paryavasana (Quotation marker/इत्यर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

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

• पूजयामि: I worship
• पूजयामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• त्रिकालम्: thrice daily
• त्रिकालम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-काल (प्रातिपदिक; घटकाः: त्रि + काल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कालपरिमाणवाचकं (three times a day)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पत्रैः: with leaves
• पत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• श्रीवृक्षस्य: of the śrī-tree (bilva)
• श्रीवृक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम् (पत्रैः)

• त्रिभिः: (again) with three
• त्रिभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; पुनरुक्तिः (emphatic repetition: ‘three and three’)

Speaker

Devotee/Narrated first-person voice (within the narrative; specific speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triptych of the same devotee worshipping Śiva at dawn, noon, and dusk; each time offering a triad of bilva leaves, with changing light and temple ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Śrīvṛkṣa (Bilva tree)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scripture-guided daily discipline (trikāla pūjā) offered with faith is upheld as an ideal form of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is specified; the verse highlights a universal Śaiva observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship Śiva three times daily, offering three bilva leaves at each worship.