Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

मया चिकित्सकाः पृष्टास्तैरुक्तं भेषजं कृतम् । अनेकधा महाभाग परिक्षीणो दिनेदिने

Transliteration

mayā cikitsakāḥ pṛṣṭāstairuktaṃ bheṣajaṃ kṛtam | anekadhā mahābhāga parikṣīṇo dinedine

Translation

‘I questioned physicians, and I used the medicines they prescribed in many ways; yet, O great one, I continue to waste away day by day.’

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• चिकित्सकाः: physicians
• चिकित्सकाः: Karma (Object in passive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिकित्सक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पृष्टाः: were asked
• पृष्टाः: Kriyā (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing with चिकित्सकाः)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• उक्तम्: was said
• उक्तम्: Kriyā (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here: predicate ‘was said’)

• भेषजम्: medicine
• भेषजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here: object of ‘made’)

• कृतम्: was made/done
• कृतम्: Kriyā (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (predicate: ‘was made’)

• अनेकधा: in many ways
• अनेकधा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन

• परिक्षीणः: wasted away
• परिक्षीणः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-क्षीण (प्रातिपदिक; √क्षि)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (speaker as subject)

• दिने: in a day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• दिने: day by day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (idiom: day by day)

Speaker

Candra (Moon)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Candra recounts consulting physicians and taking many medicines; the imagery can show scattered herbs, bowls, and scrolls, yet his body continues to fade.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)
• Romaka (sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Material remedies can be limited; Purāṇic dharma points the sufferer toward sacred means—faith, tīrtha, and guidance of tapasvins.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where a higher remedy is sought beyond ordinary treatment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse contrasts medical effort with continuing decline, preparing for a spiritual prescription.