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

واسو دیوگن سدا پریال اور عظیم ناگ درخت کو مقدّس مانتے ہیں؛ آدتیہ جپا کے درخت کو، اور اسی طرح اشونین (اشونی کمار) مدن کو۔

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.