Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

भक्षितो भास्करस्तेन स कुष्ठी जायते नरः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन चार्कपत्राणि वर्जयेत्

Transliteration

bhakṣito bhāskarastena sa kuṣṭhī jāyate naraḥ | tasmātsarvaprayatnena cārkapatrāṇi varjayet

Translation

Für ihn ist Bhāskara, die Sonne, gleichsam ‘verzehrt’; und jener Mann wird vom Aussatz befallen. Darum soll man mit aller Anstrengung Arka-Blätter meiden.

Word by Word

• भक्षितः: is eaten
• भक्षितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) → भक्षित (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘भक्षितः’ = eaten

• भास्करः: the Sun
• भास्करः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कुष्ठी: a leper
• कुष्ठी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कुष्ठरोगयुक्तः’

• जायते: becomes/is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (सः नरः)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे (therefore)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with every effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + प्रयत्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; उपाय/प्रकारवाचक (with all effort)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• अर्कपत्राणि: arka leaves
• अर्कपत्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क-पत्र (प्रातिपदिक; अर्क + पत्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आदेश/विधान (should avoid)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at Prabhāsa is cautioned by a priestly guide: arka-leaves are set aside; Bhāskara’s radiance is shown as ‘withdrawn’ from the offender, while the righteous pilgrim offers approved items with reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara (Sūrya)
• Arka-patra (arka leaves)
• Kuṣṭha (leprosy)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disrespecting sacred symbols and local disciplines invites serious consequences; dharma in tīrthas includes restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Arka-sthala context, where the Sun’s presence is treated as especially potent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A firm prohibition: avoid arka leaves in any food practice there, with maximum care.