Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

आरोग्यशालां यः कुर्याद्वैद्यपोषणतत्परः । आकल्पमत्र वसति सर्वभोग समन्वितः

Transliteration

ārogyaśālāṃ yaḥ kuryādvaidyapoṣaṇatatparaḥ | ākalpamatra vasati sarvabhoga samanvitaḥ

Translation

ആരോഗ്യശാല (ചികിത്സാഗൃഹം) സ്ഥാപിച്ച് വൈദ്യരെ പോഷിപ്പുന്നതിൽ തത്പരനായവൻ—ഇവിടെ ഒരു കല്പം മുഴുവൻ സർവ്വഭോഗങ്ങളോടുകൂടി വസിക്കും।

Word by Word

• आरोग्यशालाम्: a health-hall/clinic
• आरोग्यशालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरोग्य + शाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आरोग्यस्य शाला) (Fem., Acc., Sg.)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masc., Nom., Sg.)

• कुर्यात्: should establish/make
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (should make)

• वैद्यपोषणतत्परः: intent on supporting physicians
• वैद्यपोषणतत्परः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैद्य + पोषण + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वैद्यस्य पोषणं तत्र तत्परः) (Masc., Nom., Sg.)

• आकल्पम्: for an entire kalpa
• आकल्पम्: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अव्ययत्वेन 'आकल्पम्' = यावत्कल्पम् (adverb: for the duration of an aeon)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here)

• वसति: dwells
• वसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (dwells)

• सर्वभोग: with all enjoyments
• सर्वभोग: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समन्वितः इति सह); कर्मधारय (सर्वे भोगाः) (Masc., Instr., Sg.)

• समन्वितः: endowed
• समन्वितः: Karta (Predicate-adjective/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अन्वि + क्त (समन्वित) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masc., Nom., Sg.; 'endowed/possessed')

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Householders/pilgrims seeking meritorious works

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A benefactor inaugurates an ārogyaśālā in Kāśī: physicians preparing herbs, patients being treated, a small shrine lamp burning; the Ganga and temple spires suggest sacred setting.

Characters & Entities

• Vaidya (physician)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassionate public service—healing infrastructure and support for caregivers—is elevated as a major dharmic act with vast merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The phrase “here” follows the Kāśī Khaṇḍa frame, implying merit connected with the sacred sphere of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Founding an ārogyaśālā and maintaining physicians—service-oriented dāna rather than a liturgical rite.