Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

रोपयेत्पालयेद्यो वै सूर्य्यवृक्षं नरोत्तमः । सप्तकल्पं वसेत्सोऽत्र समीपे भास्करस्य हि

Transliteration

ropayetpālayedyo vai sūryyavṛkṣaṃ narottamaḥ | saptakalpaṃ vasetso'tra samīpe bhāskarasya hi

Translation

人中至善者，若栽植并护养太阳之圣树，便将在此处住满七劫（kalpa），确然亲近婆斯迦罗（Bhāskara，太阳神）。

Word by Word

• रोपयेत्: should plant
• रोपयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) ‘रोपयति’ = to plant

• पालयेत्: should protect/maintain
• पालयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• सूर्य्यवृक्षम्: Sun’s tree (sacred tree)
• सूर्य्यवृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य-वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यस्य वृक्षः)

• नरोत्तमः: the best of men
• नरोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः नरः)

• सप्तकल्पम्: for seven kalpas
• सप्तकल्पम्: Kala-adhikarana (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त-कल्प (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; द्विगुः (सप्त कल्पाः = सप्तकल्पम्)

• वसेत्: would dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक-अव्यय, adverb of place)

• समीपे: near
• समीपे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• भास्करस्य: of Bhāskara (the Sun)
• भास्करस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Reason/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (reason/emphasis)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sūrya-vṛkṣa-sthāna in Dvārakā/Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A noble pilgrim plants a sapling in a sunlit grove and waters it; Bhāskara appears above in a radiant aura, indicating the devotee’s future dwelling near the Sun for seven kalpas.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Bhāskara
• Sūryavṛkṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nurturing sacred trees is a powerful dharmic act that grants enduring spiritual reward and divine proximity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā and its sanctified religious ecology and observances within the Dvārakā-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Plant and protect a tree sacred to Sūrya (sūryavṛkṣa) as a meritorious vow-like act.