Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

तां भजंति सुपत्रैश्च पूजयंति सनातनीम् । यंयं कामयते कामं तस्य सिद्धिर्भवेद्ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

tāṃ bhajaṃti supatraiśca pūjayaṃti sanātanīm | yaṃyaṃ kāmayate kāmaṃ tasya siddhirbhaveddhruvam

Translation

ശുഭപത്രങ്ങളാൽ അവർ സനാതനീ ദേവിയെ ഭജിച്ച് പൂജിക്കുന്നു. ആരെന്ത് ആഗ്രഹിച്ചാലും, അതിന്റെ സിദ്ധി അവനു നിർഭാഗ്യരഹിതമായി നിശ്ചയമാകും.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• भजन्ति: they worship/serve
• भजन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• सुपत्रैः: with good leaves
• सुपत्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• पूजयन्ति: they honor; they worship
• पूजयन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• सनातनीम्: the eternal (goddess)
• सनातनीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यम्: which
• यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यम्: whatever
• यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति (distributive repetition)

• कामयते: desires
• कामयते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम् (धातु) (काङ्क्षायाम्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• कामम्: a desire; wish
• कामम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: for him/of that person
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सिद्धिः: success; attainment
• सिद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवेत्: would be; may occur
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ध्रुवम्: certainly; surely
• ध्रुवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभाव (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable)

Speaker

Narrator within Brahma–Nārada dialogue (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees worship the Eternal Goddess at the bilva with clusters of fresh leaves; a subtle vision of Devī appears above the offerings; the atmosphere suggests boon-granting certainty.

Characters & Entities

• Sanātanī Devī
• Bilva leaves (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple devotional offerings, when made with faith, become powerful means for grace and attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya in Nāgarakhaṇḍa, centered on Bilva’s sacredness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of the Goddess using auspicious leaves (notably Bilva leaves in context).