Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कुष्ठपित्तार्दितानां च ब्राह्मणानां च नो विषम् । तप्तमाषकमर्हंति सर्वे धर्म्यं निरत्ययम्

Transliteration

kuṣṭhapittārditānāṃ ca brāhmaṇānāṃ ca no viṣam | taptamāṣakamarhaṃti sarve dharmyaṃ niratyayam

Translation

For those afflicted with leprosy and disorders of bile, and likewise for brāhmaṇas, poison should not be given or employed. All are fit to receive the heated māṣaka, righteous in dharma and free from danger.

Word by Word

• kuṣṭha-pitta-ārditānām: of those afflicted with leprosy, bile-disorder, and paralysis/ailment
• kuṣṭha-pitta-ārditānām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + pitta (प्रातिपदिक) + ārdita (आर्दित कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (कुष्ठ-पित्त-आर्दित) + तदन्त 'आर्दित' (पीडित)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय

• brāhmaṇānām: of brāhmaṇas
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (ब्राह्मण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय

• naḥ: of us/our
• naḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), बहुवचन; एनक्लिटिक रूप 'नः' (our/of us)

• viṣam: poison
• viṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (विष प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tapta-māṣakam: heated māṣaka (a measure/coin; or bean-like unit)
• tapta-māṣakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapta (तप्त कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + māṣaka (माषक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (तप्तः माषकः)

• arhanti: deserve, are entitled to
• arhanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• sarve: all (of them)
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• dharmyam: righteous, in accordance with dharma
• dharmyam: Karma/Visheshana (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharmya (धर्म्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• niratyayam: free from harm/defect, safe
• niratyayam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-atyaya (निरत्यय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निर् + अत्यय = दोष/विघ्न-रहित)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) speaking to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A priest stops a harmful substance from being used; instead, a heated preparation (taptamāṣaka) is offered in a clean vessel to recipients including a brāhmaṇa and an ill person, emphasizing safety and dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma rejects harmful gifting and endorses safe, righteous provisions—especially when dealing with vulnerable persons and revered recipients.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition regarding poison, and an approval of giving/using a ‘heated māṣaka’ as a dharmic, non-dangerous option.