Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

तांबूलं तु सकर्पूरं सपूगं नरनायक । कृष्णाय यच्छते यो वै पदं तस्याग्निदैवतम्

Transliteration

tāṃbūlaṃ tu sakarpūraṃ sapūgaṃ naranāyaka | kṛṣṇāya yacchate yo vai padaṃ tasyāgnidaivatam

Translation

О вождь людей, кто подносит Кришне тамбулу — бетель, приготовленный с камфорой и орехом ареки, — тот достигает состояния, сопричастного божеству Огня, Агни.

Word by Word

• ताम्बूलम्: betel (leaf preparation)
• ताम्बूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• तु: and; but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• सकर्पूरम्: with camphor
• सकर्पूरम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘ताम्बूलम्’)

• सपूगम्: with areca-nut
• सपूगम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- पूग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘ताम्बूलम्’)

• नरनायक: O leader of men
• नरनायक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नराणां नायकः)

• कृष्णाय: to Krishna
• कृष्णाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• यच्छते: gives; offers
• यच्छते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यच्छ्/दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• पदम्: state; abode; position
• पदम्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अग्निदैवतम्: having Agni as the presiding deity
• अग्निदैवतम्: Karta (Predicate/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि-दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अग्नेः दैवतम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naranāyaka / king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee-king offers a neatly prepared tāmbūla packet—betel leaf with camphor and areca—to Kṛṣṇa; a subtle Agni motif (small flame/tejas aura) appears, indicating the promised ‘agni-daivata’ state.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Agni
• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Refined acts of reverential service (upacāra) offered with devotion yield elevated spiritual attainments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, in the context of worshipful offerings to Kṛṣṇa at his sacred residence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering tāmbūla (betel) prepared with camphor and areca nut to Kṛṣṇa.