Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

मंजर्यां भगवान्विष्णुस्तदेकस्थत्रया सदा । मंजरी दलसंयुक्ता ग्राह्या बुधजनैः शुभा

Transliteration

maṃjaryāṃ bhagavānviṣṇustadekasthatrayā sadā | maṃjarī dalasaṃyuktā grāhyā budhajanaiḥ śubhā

Translation

മഞ്ജരിയിൽ ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണു വസിക്കുന്നു; അതിനാൽ ആ ഒരേ തുളസിയിൽ ത്രിമൂർത്തികൾ സദാ ഒരുമിച്ച് നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. അതുകൊണ്ട് ഇലകളോടുകൂടിയ ശുഭ തുളസി മഞ്ജരി ജ്ഞാനികൾ പൂജയ്ക്കായി സ്വീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• मंजर्यां: in the maṃjarī (inflorescence/cluster)
• मंजर्यां: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मंजरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative Singular (in/on the cluster/inflorescence)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative Singular; apposition to भगवान्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — used as demonstrative in compound

• एकस्थत्रया: by the triad abiding in one place
• एकस्थत्रया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — Instrumental Singular; समासः: (तत्) एकस्थ-त्रया = ‘one-place/one-locus triad’ (three abiding in one)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मंजरी: the maṃjarī (cluster)
• मंजरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मंजरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• दलसंयुक्ता: joined with leaves
• दलसंयुक्ता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दल (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् (धातु) + सम् उपसर्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — past passive participle used adjectivally; समासः: दल-सम्युक्ता = ‘joined with leaves’

• ग्राह्या: should be taken/accepted
• ग्राह्या: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — विधिलिङ्गार्थक-योग्यता: ‘to be taken/should be taken’ (gerundive)

• बुधजनैः: by wise people
• बुधजनैः: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental Plural; समासः: बुध-जन = ‘wise people’

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative Singular; qualifies मंजरी

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tulasī-mañjarī (as prime offering)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise elder selects a fresh Tulasī sprig bearing a mañjarī and several leaves, placing it on a pūjā plate before Śāligrāma; the sprig glows subtly, indicating Viṣṇu’s presence.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Tulasī mañjarī
• Trimūrti (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tulasī is exalted as a concentrated sacred presence, making her blossoms and leaves uniquely fit for worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies the sacred plant Tulasī within the Śāligrāma worship framework, not a named pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use Tulasī mañjarī together with leaves for worship; it is recommended for the discerning devotee.