Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

इति जपः । शाल्मलेर्नाम वृक्षस्य तत्रवासः सहस्रं योजनानां तच्चिह्नं शाल्मलिद्विपमुच्यते

Transliteration

iti japaḥ | śālmalernāma vṛkṣasya tatravāsaḥ sahasraṃ yojanānāṃ taccihnaṃ śālmalidvipamucyate

Translation

ଏହିପରି ହେଉଛି ଜପ (ମନ୍ତ୍ରପାଠ)। ସେଠାରେ ‘ଶାଲ୍ମଲି’ ନାମକ ବୃକ୍ଷ ସହସ୍ର ଯୋଜନ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ବିସ୍ତୃତ; ସେଇ ଚିହ୍ନ ହେତୁ ତାହା ‘ଶାଲ୍ମଲିଦ୍ୱୀପ’ ବୋଲି ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative/particle)

• japaḥ: recitation; mantra-japa
• japaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śālmaleḥ: of the śālmali (silk-cotton tree)
• śālmaleḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālmali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-निर्देशक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning 'named/called')

• vṛkṣasya: of the tree
• vṛkṣasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• vāsaḥ: dwelling; residence
• vāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Viśeṣaṇa (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (numeral)

• yojanānām: of yojanas
• yojanānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• cihnam: mark; sign
• cihnam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cihna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śālmalidvīpaḥ: Śālmalīdvīpa
• śālmalidvīpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālmali (प्रातिपदिक) + dvīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('of śālmali' + 'island/continent')

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālmalidvīpa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast island-continent dominated by a colossal Śālmali tree stretching beyond horizons; the tree’s trunk bears auspicious marks as ‘cihna’; sages or narrators indicate the sign while mantra syllables appear as subtle script in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Śālmalidvīpa
• Śālmali tree

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nature becomes a sacred marker—holy lands are recognized through dharmic symbols, and remembrance is supported by mantra-recitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śālmalidvīpa is described as a sacred cosmic region identified by the Śālmali tree.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa is explicitly noted: “iti japaḥ”—the passage is framed for recitation.