Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

राजदौःस्थ्ये समुत्पन्ने राजा भवति धार्मिकः । सर्वरोगविनिर्मुक्तः प्रजापालनतत्परः

Transliteration

rājadauḥsthye samutpanne rājā bhavati dhārmikaḥ | sarvarogavinirmuktaḥ prajāpālanatatparaḥ

Translation

राज्याला संकट उत्पन्न झाले असता राजा धर्मनिष्ठ होतो—सर्व रोगांपासून मुक्त होऊन प्रजापालनात तत्पर राहतो।

Word by Word

• राजदौःस्थ्ये: in the king's distress/ill-condition
• राजदौःस्थ्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजदौःस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक; राज + दौःस्थ्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः दौःस्थ्यम्)

• समुत्पन्ने: having arisen; occurring
• समुत्पन्ने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उत् + पद्/पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; (राजदौःस्थ्ये इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

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

• भवति: becomes; is
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धार्मिकः: righteous
• धार्मिकः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (राजा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• सर्वरोगविनिर्मुक्तः: freed from all diseases
• सर्वरोगविनिर्मुक्तः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + रोग + वि + निर् + मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; मुच्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेभ्यः रोगेभ्यः विनिर्मुक्तः)

• प्रजापालनतत्परः: intent on protecting the subjects
• प्रजापालनतत्परः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रजा + पालन + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रजापालने तत्परः)

Speaker

Pippalāda (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified (likely a questioner seeking benefits of the site)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A troubled king approaches the deity with folded hands; behind him, anxious citizens. As worship proceeds, the king’s posture becomes steady and compassionate; a physician-like aura of healing surrounds him; the city appears orderly and protected.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king)
• Prajā (subjects)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s welfare and righteousness are tied to dharmic devotion; sacred places are portrayed as renewing both body and kingship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra/Kaṃsāreśvara’s sphere as a stabilizing power in times of political crisis.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not explicit here; implied is devotion/ritual approach to the deity at the kṣetra as the cause of the king’s reform and healing.