Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अज्ञानतिमिरांधानां दीपोऽयं ज्ञानसिद्धिदः । भवरोगनिबद्धानां सुसेव्यं परमौषधम्

Transliteration

ajñānatimirāṃdhānāṃ dīpo'yaṃ jñānasiddhidaḥ | bhavaroganibaddhānāṃ susevyaṃ paramauṣadham

Translation

لمن أعمتهم ظلمةُ الجهل، هذا مصباحٌ يمنح تحقّق المعرفة الحقّة. ولمن قيّدهم داءُ التكوّن الدنيوي، فهو الدواءُ الأسمى، جديرٌ بالملازمة والاعتصام به.

Word by Word

• अज्ञानतिमिरान्धानाम्: of those blinded by the darkness of ignorance
• अज्ञानतिमिरान्धानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘अज्ञान-तिमिरेण अन्धाः’ (those blinded by the darkness of ignorance)

• दीपः: lamp
• दीपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञानसिद्धिदः: giver of attainment of knowledge
• ज्ञानसिद्धिदः: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘सिद्धिं ददाति’ (giver of attainment); ‘ज्ञान-सिद्धि’ = attainment of knowledge

• भवरोगनिबद्धानाम्: of those bound by the disease of worldly existence
• भवरोगनिबद्धानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + निबद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि+बन्ध् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘भव-रोगे निबद्धाः’ (bound by the disease of worldly existence)

• सुसेव्यम्: well to be resorted to
• सुसेव्यम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + सेव् (धातु) + य (कृत्) → सेव्य; सुसेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाव्य (gerundive): ‘well to be used/served’

• परमौषधम्: supreme medicine
• परमौषधम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + औषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘परमम् औषधम्’

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa (contextual; not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jñāna-dīpa / Bhava-roga-auṣadha (metaphoric tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Allegorical tableau: a blindfolded figure in darkness receives a radiant lamp; another figure bound by chains labeled ‘bhava’ is offered a golden herbal elixir; behind them, Śiva’s presence as the source of light and medicine.

Characters & Entities

• Ajñāna
• Jñāna
• Bhava-roga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic Śaiva teaching is framed as both illumination (knowledge) and medicine (healing bondage to saṃsāra).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse uses universal metaphors for the salvific power of the teaching/practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied prescription is steady engagement—regularly resorting to (su-sevya) the sacred teaching/listening.