Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

सुगन्धफलपुष्पाश्च सुगन्धदलसंयुताः । तेषामणुं समादाय श्रेष्ठश्रेष्ठतमं रसम्

Transliteration

sugandhaphalapuṣpāśca sugandhadalasaṃyutāḥ | teṣāmaṇuṃ samādāya śreṣṭhaśreṣṭhatamaṃ rasam

Translation

സുഗന്ധഫലപുഷ്പങ്ങളും സുഗന്ധപത്രങ്ങളും ഉള്ള അവയിൽ നിന്ന് തേൻചീറ്റി അണുമാത്രം എടുത്താലും, അത്യുത്തമമായ സാരം പിഴിഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• sugandha-phala-puṣpāḥ: having fragrant fruits and flowers
• sugandha-phala-puṣpāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘drumāḥ’)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• sugandha-dala-saṃyutāḥ: endowed with fragrant leaves
• sugandha-dala-saṃyutāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + dala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyuta (युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• aṇum: a small portion/particle
• aṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• samādāya: having taken
• samādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having taken’

• śreṣṭha-śreṣṭha-tamam: the very best (most excellent)
• śreṣṭha-śreṣṭha-tamam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अतिशय-विशेषण (superlative emphasis)

• rasam: essence/juice
• rasam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice; likely a Purāṇic teacher addressing dvijas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close view of perfumed blossoms and fruits; a bee delicately sipping a tiny amount, yet symbolically drawing out the supreme essence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Like a bee taking only a tiny drop yet obtaining the finest nectar, a seeker should take the essential truth (sāra) from many teachings and experiences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya section, but this snippet itself does not name a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed here; it teaches discernment and sāra-grahaṇa (extracting the essence).