Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

राजा च तत्क्षणात्तेन शब्देन समजायत । कुष्ठी विगतवर्णश्च बलवीर्यविवर्जितः

Transliteration

rājā ca tatkṣaṇāttena śabdena samajāyata | kuṣṭhī vigatavarṇaśca balavīryavivarjitaḥ

Translation

Et à cet instant précis, par ce son, le roi fut frappé de lèpre, son teint ruiné, et privé de force et de vigueur.

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• tatkṣaṇāt: from that very moment / immediately
• tatkṣaṇāt: Apādāna (Ablative of time-from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) + kṣaṇa (क्षण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे/तत्पुरुष (tat-kṣaṇa = 'that moment')

• tena: by that / by him
• tena: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śabdena: by the sound
• śabdena: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (शब्द प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• samajāyata: became / came to be
• samajāyata: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन् धातु) + sam-
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kuṣṭhī: leprous
• kuṣṭhī: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective of rājā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuṣṭhin (कुष्ठिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• vigatavarṇaḥ: devoid of complexion
• vigatavarṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vigata (विगत, कृदन्त from gam गम् with vi-) + varṇa (वर्ण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vigata-varṇa = 'whose color is gone')

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• balavīryavivarjitaḥ: bereft of strength and vigor
• balavīryavivarjitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bala (बल) + vīrya (वीर्य) + vivarjita (विवर्जित, कृदन्त from varj वर्ज् with vi-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समाहारपूर्वक षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (bala-vīrya + vivarjita = 'deprived of strength and vigor')

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (episode-site)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-listener (the narrative earlier addresses a 'varavarṇinī')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king reels as the ominous sound strikes; his skin pales and mottles, strength drains from his limbs, and his royal posture collapses. Courtiers recoil in horror; the lake remains eerily calm, the lotus distant and untouched.

Characters & Entities

• Nanda (king)
• kuṣṭha (leprosy)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When arrogance violates sanctity, the fall can be sudden; dharma is not merely status but right conduct toward the sacred.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The potent sacred environment of the divine lake episode within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya is emphasized through immediate consequence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No remedy is prescribed in this verse; it records the consequence that prompts later atonement or guidance.