Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

दरिद्रान्भर भूपाल मा समृद्धान् कदाचन । व्याधितस्यौषधं पथ्यं नीरुजस्य किमौषधैः

Transliteration

daridrānbhara bhūpāla mā samṛddhān kadācana | vyādhitasyauṣadhaṃ pathyaṃ nīrujasya kimauṣadhaiḥ

Translation

Unterstütze die Armen, o König, und niemals nur die Wohlhabenden. Arznei und heilsame Lebensordnung sind für den Kranken; was bedarf der Gesunde der Medikamente?

Word by Word

• दरिद्रान्: the poor (persons)
• दरिद्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• भर: support / maintain
• भर: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूपाल: O king
• भूपाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• समृद्धान्: the wealthy / prosperous (persons)
• समृद्धान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

• कदाचन: ever / at any time
• कदाचन: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• व्याधितस्य: of the sick person
• व्याधितस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• औषधम्: medicine
• औषधम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• पथ्यम्: wholesome / suitable
• पथ्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying औषधम्)

• नीरुजस्य: of the healthy (one)
• नीरुजस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीरुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative focus/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• औषधैः: with medicines
• औषधैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (context: instruction within Revā Khaṇḍa narrative)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhūpāla (Uttānapāda in surrounding dialogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king in audience hall turns from richly dressed courtiers to offer food/coins to a poor, sick petitioner; a physician’s metaphorical presence (medicine bowl) underscores the simile.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūpāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-oriented support targets need: compassion and protection are meant for the vulnerable, not for those already secure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā milieu underlies the chapter, but this verse primarily teaches rāja-dharma rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical dharma directive: prioritize aid and patronage for the poor, analogous to giving medicine to the sick.