Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

तुलसीदलजां मालां शालिग्रामोपरि न्यसेत् । चातुर्मास्ये विशेषेण सर्वकामानवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

tulasīdalajāṃ mālāṃ śāligrāmopari nyaset | cāturmāsye viśeṣeṇa sarvakāmānavāpnuyāt

Translation

ശാലിഗ്രാമത്തിന്മേൽ തുളസിദളമാല അർപ്പിക്കണം; പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ചാതുർമാസ്യത്തിൽ ഇങ്ങനെ ചെയ്താൽ ഭക്തൻ എല്ലാ ഇഷ്ടഫലങ്ങളും പ്രാപിക്കും.

Word by Word

• तुलसी-दल-जाम्: made from tulasī leaves
• तुलसी-दल-जाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय, √जन् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तुलस्याः दलम्) + कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (दलात् जाता)

• मालाम्: garland
• मालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शालिग्राम-उपरि: upon the Śālagrāma (stone)
• शालिग्राम-उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शालिग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; उपरि = अधिकरणार्थक-अव्यय (locative sense: 'upon'); शालिग्राम-शब्दः सम्बन्धे (षष्ठी-अर्थः)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• चातुर्मास्ये: in the Cāturmāsya period
• चातुर्मास्ये: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कालाधिकरण)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभावः (क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः); manner/in particular

• सर्व-कामान्: all desires
• सर्व-कामान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सर्वे च ते कामाः)

• अवाप्नुयात्: would obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śāligrāma (in Saurapura context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hands gently place a fresh tulasī-leaf garland over a Śāligrāma; monsoon clouds outside indicate Cāturmāsya; lamps glow warmly inside the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Tulasī
• Śāligrāma
• Cāturmāsya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple offerings made with faith—especially in sacred seasons—are portrayed as highly fruitful in dharma and desired outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sanctity of Śāligrāma worship is highlighted; the verse focuses on the devotional rite rather than a named pilgrimage location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer a garland of Tulasī leaves on Śāligrāma, with special emphasis during Cāturmāsya.