Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

अस्मिंस्तीर्थे शिशुं लोकाः स्नापयिष्यंति ये द्विज । रोगार्तं वा भयार्तं वा पीडितं वा ग्रहादिभिः

Transliteration

asmiṃstīrthe śiśuṃ lokāḥ snāpayiṣyaṃti ye dvija | rogārtaṃ vā bhayārtaṃ vā pīḍitaṃ vā grahādibhiḥ

Translation

ஓ இருபிறப்பினரே! இந்தத் தீர்த்தத்தில் மக்கள் ஒரு குழந்தையை நீராட்டினால்—அது நோயால் துன்புறுவதாக இருந்தாலும், பயத்தால் துன்புறுவதாக இருந்தாலும், அல்லது கிரஹாதிகளால் வதைக்கப்பட்டதாக இருந்தாலும்—

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; qualifies ‘तीर्थे’

• तीर्थे: in the tīrtha
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शिशुम्: a child; infant
• शिशुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• लोकाः: people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• स्नापयिष्यन्ति: will bathe (someone); will cause to bathe
• स्नापयिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (simple future), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; णिजन्त-धातु ‘स्नापयति’

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; relative pronoun referring to ‘लोकाः’

• द्विज: O Brahmin
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• रोगार्तम्: afflicted by disease
• रोगार्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (रोगेण आर्तः), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; qualifies ‘शिशुम्’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (or)

• भयार्तम्: afflicted by fear
• भयार्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (भयेन आर्तः), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; qualifies ‘शिशुम्’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (or)

• पीडितम्: tormented; afflicted
• पीडितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीड् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; qualifies ‘शिशुम्’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (or)

• ग्रहादिभिः: by ग्रह-s etc. (seizures/spirits and the like)
• ग्रहादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (ग्रहाः आदयः येषु/ग्रहादयः), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; instrumental of cause/agent affecting the child

Speaker

Ṛṣis (the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bālasakhya-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija addressed as ‘dvij’

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the ghāṭa, a priest/parent gently bathes a child in tīrtha water; protective rites are performed for roga, bhaya, and graha-affliction; offerings await at the nearby shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Śiśu (child)
• Roga
• Bhaya
• Graha (afflicting forces)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is practical compassion—using sacred means to seek protection and well-being for children.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha named Bālasakhya, presented as especially effective for children’s afflictions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiśu-snāna: bathing a child in the tīrtha as a remedial rite for disease, fear, and graha-related troubles.