Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 127

Devanagari script

स चान्नौषधिलेपेन क्षणमात्रं प्रशाम्यति । क्षुद्ध्याधेर्वेदना तीव्रा निःशेषबलकृन्तनी

Transliteration

sa cānnauṣadhilepena kṣaṇamātraṃ praśāmyati | kṣuddhyādhervedanā tīvrā niḥśeṣabalakṛntanī

Translation

ആ ക്ഷുധയും അന്നം, ഔഷധം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ലേപനം കൊണ്ടു ക്ഷണമാത്രം മാത്രമേ ശമിക്കൂ. ക്ഷുധാ-വ്യാധിയുടെ വേദന തീക്ഷ്ണം; മുഴുവൻ ബലവും നിശ്ശേഷം മുറിച്ചുകളയും.

Word by Word

• सः: that (disease)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्नौषधिलेपेन: by food and medicinal application (ointment)
• अन्नौषधिलेपेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न-औषधि-लेप (प्रातिपदिक; अन्न + औषधि + लेप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधनार्थे (by means of)

• क्षणमात्रम्: for only a moment
• क्षणमात्रम्: Karma/Adverbial-accusative (Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक; क्षण + मात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालावधि-अर्थे (extent of time)

• प्रशाम्यति: subsides; becomes calm
• प्रशाम्यति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षुद्ध्याधेः: of the disease of hunger
• क्षुद्ध्याधेः: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुध्-व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक; क्षुधा + व्याधि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वेदना: pain; torment
• वेदना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तीव्रा: intense
• तीव्रा: Visheshana (of वेदना)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निःशेषबलकृन्तनी: destroying all strength completely
• निःशेषबलकृन्तनी: Visheshana (of वेदना)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःशेष-बल-कृन्तनी (प्रातिपदिक; निःशेष + बल + कृन्तनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (one that cuts off all strength)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person weakened by hunger, supported by companions; a healer’s ointment and medicines lie nearby, yet a simple bowl of rice is shown as immediate relief—highlighting the verse’s contrast between temporary soothing and recurring hunger.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bodily relief is temporary; recognizing the fragility of strength encourages humility and dharmic compassion (especially feeding the hungry).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed, but the verse naturally supports anna-dāna as a key purāṇic dharma.