Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अकृष्टपच्यौषधयस्तस्य राज्ञोऽभवन्भुवि । तपस्विनो ब्राह्मणाश्च वर्णाश्रमयुता जनाः

Transliteration

akṛṣṭapacyauṣadhayastasya rājño'bhavanbhuvi | tapasvino brāhmaṇāśca varṇāśramayutā janāḥ

Translation

Im Land jenes Königs reiften Heilkräuter selbst ohne Anbau. Die Brahmanen lebten asketisch, und das Volk war fest in den Ordnungen von varṇa und āśrama gegründet.

Word by Word

• अकृष्टपच्यौषधयः: herbs that ripen without ploughing
• अकृष्टपच्यौषधयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकृष्ट + पच्य + औषधि (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुष (बहुपद): अकृष्टे पच्यन्ते या औषधयः

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Genitive, Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अभवन्: were/occurred
• अभवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Imperfect, 3rd person, Plural

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular

• तपस्विनः: austere/ascetic
• तपस्विनः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural (qualifying brāhmaṇāḥ)

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय — and

• वर्णाश्रमयुताः: endowed with (proper) varṇa and āśrama
• वर्णाश्रमयुताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण + आश्रम + युत (प्रातिपदिक; यु धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; द्वन्द्व (वर्ण + आश्रम) + क्तान्त 'युत'

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Lomaśa (narration continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-dialogue listener(s)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lush landscape where medicinal herbs and plants bloom abundantly without ploughing; ascetic brāhmaṇas in simple garments perform japa; households follow orderly rites, suggesting a kṛta-yuga-like calm.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Śveta (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When society aligns with dharma (varṇāśrama) and spiritual discipline, prosperity and well-being naturally flourish.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tirtha is named; the verse depicts dharmic conditions within the Kedāra-khaṇḍa narrative world.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single ritual; the verse commends tapas (austerity) and varṇāśrama observance as sustaining disciplines.