Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेभ्यः करवीरं विशिष्यते । करवीर सहस्रेभ्यो द्रोणपुष्पं विशिष्यते

Transliteration

arkapuṣpasahasrebhyaḥ karavīraṃ viśiṣyate | karavīra sahasrebhyo droṇapuṣpaṃ viśiṣyate

Translation

ارک کے ہزار پھولوں سے کرَوِیر کا ایک پھول افضل ہے؛ اور کرَوِیر کے ہزار پھولوں سے دْرون کا پھول زیادہ برتر مانا گیا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेभ्यः: than a thousand arka-flowers
• अर्कपुष्पसहस्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-बहुवचनम् (Ablative plural)

• करवीरम्: karavīra-flower (oleander)
• करवीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√शिष् (धातु; ‘to excel/be distinguished’)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• करवीर: karavīra-
• करवीर: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण (समासपूर्वपदवत्)

• सहस्रेभ्यः: than a thousand
• सहस्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-बहुवचनम् (Ablative plural)

• द्रोणपुष्पम्: droṇa-flower
• द्रोणपुष्पम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Śiva (as Somnātha), within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra praise context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra / Somnātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-priest at Somnātha prepares a flower-offering tray, weighing arka, karavīra, and droṇa blossoms as the text proclaims their relative excellence.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Arka flower
• Karavīra flower
• Droṇa flower

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Quality and sacred suitability of offerings matter in pūjā; certain flowers are praised as especially dear and potent for Śiva worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra’s Somnātha worship, where flower-offerings and their relative excellence are taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Using specific flowers in Śiva arcana, with an explicit hierarchy: droṇa above karavīra above arka.