Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

यक्ष्मणापि न संदेहः किं पुनः कुष्ठपूर्वकैः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन रोगार्त्तस्तं प्रपूजयेत्

Transliteration

yakṣmaṇāpi na saṃdehaḥ kiṃ punaḥ kuṣṭhapūrvakaiḥ | tasmātsarvaprayatnena rogārttastaṃ prapūjayet

Translation

യക്ഷ്മാരോഗത്തിലും മോചനത്തിൽ സംശയമില്ല; പിന്നെ കുഷ്ഠാദി രോഗങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ച് പറയേണ്ടതെന്ത്. അതിനാൽ രോഗാർത്തൻ സർവ്വശ്രമത്തോടെയും അവനെ പൂജിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• यक्ष्मणा: by/with consumption (TB)
• यक्ष्मणा: Karana (Instrument/association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (even)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• संदेहः: doubt
• संदेहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• किम्: what (then)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम (interrogative)

• पुनः: then, moreover
• पुनः: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/विशेषार्थक (further, again; here: ‘then’)

• कुष्ठपूर्वकैः: with leprosy and similar (diseases)
• कुष्ठपूर्वकैः: Karana (Instrument/association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘कुष्ठं पूर्वं येषां ते’/‘कुष्ठादिभिः’ (here: ‘with leprosy and the like’)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘सर्वः प्रयत्नः’ → ‘with all effort’

• रोगार्त्तः: one afflicted by disease
• रोगार्त्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘रोगेण आर्तः’ = afflicted by disease (used substantively: ‘a sick person’)

• तम्: him/that (liṅga/Someśvara)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship (well)
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somēśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visibly ill devotee (thin from yakṣmā; another with skin affliction) approaches the Somēśvara liṅga supported by family; after intense worship, their faces brighten, suggesting relief and dignity restored.

Characters & Entities

• Somēśvara
• Śiva (implied)
• yakṣmā (consumption)
• kuṣṭha (leprosy)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Māhātmya frames devotion and worship as a dharmic remedy—strengthening hope and discipline in the face of suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Somēśvara liṅga-site celebrated in the Tīrthamāhātmya of Nāgara-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Those distressed by illness are instructed to worship Somēśvara/Śiva with full effort (intense, sustained pūjā/arcana).