Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

प्रयच्छंति नृणां कामान्वांछितान्सेविता अपि । तस्मात्सर्वात्मभावेन पिप्पलो येन सेवितः

Transliteration

prayacchaṃti nṛṇāṃ kāmānvāṃchitānsevitā api | tasmātsarvātmabhāvena pippalo yena sevitaḥ

Translation

வெறும் சேவையாலேயும் அவர்கள் மனிதர்க்கு வேண்டிய விருப்பங்களை அருளுகின்றனர்; ஆகவே முழு ஆத்மபாவத்துடன் பிப்பல (அஸ்வத்த) மரத்தைச் சேவிப்பவன் பாக்கியவான்।

Word by Word

• प्रयच्छन्ति: they grant
• प्रयच्छन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural), परस्मैपदम् (Parasmaipada)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sampradana/Adhikari (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masc.), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masc.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• वाञ्छितान्: desired
• वाञ्छितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाञ्छित (कृदन्त; √वाञ्छ्)
• Form: भूतकृत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (past passive participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कामान् इति विशेषणम्

• सेविताः: (they) being served / when served
• सेविताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेवित (कृदन्त; √सेव्)
• Form: भूतकृत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गः (contextually), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having been served/served’ (those who are served)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle), अप्यर्थः (also/even)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अपादानार्थक-निपातवत् (therefore/from that reason)

• सर्वात्मभावेन: with whole-hearted devotion
• सर्वात्मभावेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आत्म + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masc.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; समासः: सर्वस्य आत्मा इव भावः (whole-souled attitude)

• पिप्पलः: the pippala tree
• पिप्पलः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिप्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masc.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Agent/means in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धे ‘by whom’

• सेवितः: is served/worshipped
• सेवितः: Kriya (Predicate in passive sense/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेवित (कृदन्त; √सेव्)
• Form: भूतकृत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; पिप्पलः इति विशेष्यः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pippala/Aśvattha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees approach the Pippala with offerings; even minimal service is shown bearing fruit—symbolic visions of fulfilled wishes appear as gentle halos; the central figure serves with single-minded devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Pippala (Aśvattha)
• Humans (nṛ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Whole-hearted service to sacred embodiments of divinity is taught to yield both worldly fulfillment and higher spiritual benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred Pippala tree is treated as a living tīrtha within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-mahātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā (devotional service) of the Pippala with sarvātmabhāva (complete sincerity) is prescribed.