Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 183

Devanagari script

हृष्टपुष्टास्तथा वृद्धाः प्रजा वै विगतज्वराः । ततः कालेन केनापि तासां वृद्धे रसेंद्रिये

Transliteration

hṛṣṭapuṣṭāstathā vṛddhāḥ prajā vai vigatajvarāḥ | tataḥ kālena kenāpi tāsāṃ vṛddhe raseṃdriye

Translation

ପ୍ରଜାମାନେ ହର୍ଷିତ, ପୁଷ୍ଟ ଓ ଦୀର୍ଘାୟୁ ଥିଲେ—ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଜ୍ୱରରହିତ। ପରେ କିଛି କାଳ ଗତ ହେଲାପରେ ତାଙ୍କର ରସେନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ, ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ସ୍ୱାଦପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତି, ବଢ଼ିଗଲା।

Word by Word

• हृष्ट-पुष्टाः: joyful and well-nourished
• हृष्ट-पुष्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (हृष्-धातोः क्त, कृदन्त) + पुष्ट (पुष्-धातोः क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• वृद्धाः: grown/aged
• वृद्धाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• प्रजाः: the people/creatures
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• विगत-ज्वराः: free from fever
• विगत-ज्वराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विगत (वि-गम् धातोः क्त, कृदन्त) + ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थक-तत्पुरुष: ‘ज्वरः विगतः येषाम्’

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (thereafter/from that)

• कालेन: with time / in course of time
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/हेतौ (by time, in course of time)

• केन: by some (which)
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• अपि: even / also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/सम्भावना-अव्यय (also/even)

• तासाम्: of them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• वृद्धे: when increased / in the grown state
• वृद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• रस-इन्द्रिये: in the sense-organ of taste
• रस-इन्द्रिये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘रसस्य इन्द्रियम्’ (organ of taste)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prosperous, radiant people—strong, aged yet vigorous—living without illness; a subtle visual cue of emerging desire as they look longingly at richer foods.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amidst health and prosperity, unchecked growth of sensory appetite becomes a seed of decline; dharma emphasizes mastery of the senses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy place is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the point is ethical-psychological (sense discipline).