Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

भल्लातकानामलकींस्तिन्दुकांश्च महाफलान् । इंगुदान्करमर्दांश्च हरीतकबिभीतकान्

Transliteration

bhallātakānāmalakīṃstindukāṃśca mahāphalān | iṃgudānkaramardāṃśca harītakabibhītakān

Translation

അവൻ ഭല്ലാതകവൃക്ഷങ്ങൾ, ആമലകി, മഹാഫലമുള്ള തിന്ദുക, ഇംഗുദയും കരമർദവും, കൂടാതെ ഹരീതകിയും ബിഭീതകവും കണ്ടു।

Word by Word

• भल्लातकान्: marking-nut trees (bhallātaka)
• भल्लातकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्लातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आमलकीन्: āmalakī (Indian gooseberry) trees
• आमलकीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमलकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तिन्दुकान्: tinduka trees
• तिन्दुकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिन्दुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• महाफलान्: large-fruited
• महाफलान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाफल (प्रातिपदिक); महा (पूर्वपद) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; विशेषण (वृक्षाणाम्)

• इंगुदान्: iṅguda trees
• इंगुदान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इंगुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• करमर्दान्: karamarda trees
• करमर्दान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करमर्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• हरीतकबिभीतकान्: harītaka and bibhītaka trees
• हरीतकबिभीतकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरीतक (प्रातिपदिक) + बिभीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grove with āmalakī trees bearing pale green fruits, alongside harītakī and bibhītaka; tinduka and other large-fruited trees stand nearby, conveying a medicinal-abundance atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Āmalakī
• Harītaka
• Bibhītaka
• Forest flora

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy places are portrayed as life-supporting and healing—abundant with nourishing and medicinal trees, reflecting dharmic harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred grove/forest landscape within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya (Raivata-garden context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.