Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 192

Devanagari script

नत्वा धरां प्रविष्टास्ता ओषध्यः पीडिताः प्रजाः । दुदोह गां पृथुर्वैन्यः सर्वभूतहिताय वै

Transliteration

natvā dharāṃ praviṣṭāstā oṣadhyaḥ pīḍitāḥ prajāḥ | dudoha gāṃ pṛthurvainyaḥ sarvabhūtahitāya vai

Translation

Jene Heilkräuter, bedrängt und gequält, verneigten sich vor der Erde und gingen in sie ein; die Menschen litten. Da «melkte» Pṛthu Vainya die Erde — wahrlich zum Wohle aller Wesen.

Word by Word

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया/Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: नम् (to bow)

• धराम्: the earth
• धराम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रविष्टाः: entered
• प्रविष्टाः: Karta (Subject; participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; धातु: विश् (to enter) उपसर्ग: प्र

• ताः: those (they)
• ताः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Pronoun)

• ओषध्यः: medicinal herbs/plants
• ओषध्यः: Karta (Apposition to ताः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पीडिताः: afflicted
• पीडिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier of प्रजाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; धातु: पीड् (to afflict)

• प्रजाः: subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject; with implied 'were')
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दुदोह: milked
• दुदोह: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: दुह् (to milk)

• गाम्: the cow (earth as cow)
• गाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पृथुर्वैन्यः: Pṛthu Vainya
• पृथुर्वैन्यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथु (प्रातिपदिक) + वैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (पृथुः एव वैन्यः)

• सर्वभूतहिताय: for the welfare of all beings
• सर्वभूतहिताय: Sampradana (Dative purpose/beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सर्वेषां भूतानां हितम् (for the welfare of all beings)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pṛthu Vainya, regal and composed, stands before Bhūdevī envisioned as a gentle cow; sages and afflicted people gather as streams of herbs, grains, and medicines ‘flow’ forth for the world’s healing.

Characters & Entities

• Dharā (Earth)
• Oṣadhi (herbs)
• Pṛthu Vainya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True kingship (rājadharma) restores balance and sustenance for all beings, even when nature withdraws her gifts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the focus is the Purāṇic exemplar of Pṛthu and the Earth as sacred support of life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the passage emphasizes governance and cosmic stewardship rather than a ritual.