Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

यक्ष्मणापि न संदेहः किं पुनः कुष्ठपूर्वकैः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन रोगार्त्तस्तं प्रपूजयेत्

Transliteration

yakṣmaṇāpi na saṃdehaḥ kiṃ punaḥ kuṣṭhapūrvakaiḥ | tasmātsarvaprayatnena rogārttastaṃ prapūjayet

Translation

حتى مع داء اليكشما (السُّلّ) فلا شكّ في الخلاص؛ فكيف بالأدواء كالجذام (كوشتها) وسائر العلل؟ لذلك فالمبتلى بالمرض ينبغي أن يعبده هناك بكل جهدٍ واستطاعة.

Word by Word

• यक्ष्मणा: by/with consumption (TB)
• यक्ष्मणा: Karana (Instrument/association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (even)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• संदेहः: doubt
• संदेहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• किम्: what (then)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम (interrogative)

• पुनः: then, moreover
• पुनः: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/विशेषार्थक (further, again; here: ‘then’)

• कुष्ठपूर्वकैः: with leprosy and similar (diseases)
• कुष्ठपूर्वकैः: Karana (Instrument/association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘कुष्ठं पूर्वं येषां ते’/‘कुष्ठादिभिः’ (here: ‘with leprosy and the like’)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘सर्वः प्रयत्नः’ → ‘with all effort’

• रोगार्त्तः: one afflicted by disease
• रोगार्त्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘रोगेण आर्तः’ = afflicted by disease (used substantively: ‘a sick person’)

• तम्: him/that (liṅga/Someśvara)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship (well)
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somēśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visibly ill devotee (thin from yakṣmā; another with skin affliction) approaches the Somēśvara liṅga supported by family; after intense worship, their faces brighten, suggesting relief and dignity restored.

Characters & Entities

• Somēśvara
• Śiva (implied)
• yakṣmā (consumption)
• kuṣṭha (leprosy)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Māhātmya frames devotion and worship as a dharmic remedy—strengthening hope and discipline in the face of suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Somēśvara liṅga-site celebrated in the Tīrthamāhātmya of Nāgara-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Those distressed by illness are instructed to worship Somēśvara/Śiva with full effort (intense, sustained pūjā/arcana).