Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

वसुभिः स्वीकृतो नित्यं प्रिया लश्च महानगः । आदित्यैस्तु जपावृक्षो ह्यश्विभ्यां मदनस्तथा

Transliteration

vasubhiḥ svīkṛto nityaṃ priyā laśca mahānagaḥ | ādityaistu japāvṛkṣo hyaśvibhyāṃ madanastathā

Translation

ବସୁମାନେ ପ୍ରିୟାଳ ଓ ମହାନାଗ ବୃକ୍ଷକୁ ସଦା ପବିତ୍ର ଭାବେ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିଛନ୍ତି; ଆଦିତ୍ୟମାନେ ଜପାବୃକ୍ଷକୁ, ଏବଂ ଅଶ୍ୱିନୀକୁମାରମାନେ ମଦନବୃକ୍ଷକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ତଦ୍ରୂପ।

Word by Word

• वसुभिः: by the Vasus
• वसुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; देवगण-नाम

• स्वीकृतः: accepted
• स्वीकृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वी + कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; ‘accepted/adopted’

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• प्रियालः: Priyāla (tree)
• प्रियालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; वृक्ष-नाम

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

• महानगः: Mahānaga (tree)
• महानगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; वृक्ष-नाम (पाठान्तर/दुर्लभ-शब्द)

• आदित्यैः: by the Ādityas
• आदित्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: but/indeed)

• जपावृक्षः: Japa-tree (hibiscus)
• जपावृक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जपा + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; ‘जपा-वृक्ष’ = hibiscus tree

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अवधारणे अव्ययम् (particle: indeed/for)

• अश्विभ्याम्: by the two Aśvins
• अश्विभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचनम्

• मदनः: Madana (tree)
• मदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; वृक्ष-नाम (पाठान्तर/नाम)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (particle: likewise/so)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tīrtha-grove where three prominent trees are shown with subtle divine emblems: Priyāla and a great Nāga tree honored by the eight Vasus; a Japā (hibiscus) tree revered by the Ādityas; and a Madana tree associated with the Aśvins—pilgrims offering water and flowers beneath them.

Characters & Entities

• Vasus
• Ādityas
• Aśvins
• Priyāla (tree)
• Nāga (tree)
• Japā (hibiscus)
• Madana (plant/tree)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nature is sacralized through divine associations; venerating specific trees aligns the devotee with cosmic guardians (devas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports a tīrtha-grove theology (devatā-linked trees) within Adhyāya 252, without naming a single geographic site here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, worship/recognition of these trees as sacred due to their association with specific deities.