Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

भूतज्वराश्च ये केचिद्ये केचिद्विषमज्वराः । ते क्षिप्रमुपशाम्यंति ह्येतत्कूपोदसेवनात्

Transliteration

bhūtajvarāśca ye kecidye kecidviṣamajvarāḥ | te kṣipramupaśāmyaṃti hyetatkūpodasevanāt

Translation

ഭൂതജ്വരങ്ങളായാലും വിഷമ (അനിയമിത) ജ്വരങ്ങളായാലും—ഈ കിണർജലം സേവിച്ചാൽ അവ വേഗത്തിൽ ശമിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• भूतज्वराः: spirit-caused fevers
• भूतज्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (bhūtānāṃ jvarāḥ / bhūta-sambandhī)

• च: and
• च: (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: which
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• ये: which
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• विषमज्वराः: irregular fevers
• विषमज्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषम + ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (viṣamaḥ jvaraḥ)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• उपशाम्यन्ति: subside
• उपशाम्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + शम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• एतत्कूपोदसेवनात्: from consuming the water of this well
• एतत्कूपोदसेवनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतत् + कूप + उदक + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (etat-kūpa-udaka-sevanāt)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kālodaka-kūpa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/audience receiving Kāśī tīrtha guidance

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fever-stricken pilgrim is given well-water; shadowy bhūta forms retreat into darkness; the patient cools and sits upright; a Bhairava-like protective aura is hinted near the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Kālodaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tirthas are praised as removing both seen and unseen afflictions, integrating health and holiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred well (kūpa) of Kālodaka/Kālatamodaka in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kūpodaka-sevana—using/drinking the well-water to pacify fevers, including bhūta-related and intermittent types.