Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

नीलांबरधरः क्षामो दीनो दण्डसमाश्रितः । क्षुत्कुर्वञ्छ्लेष्मणा तावत्कृच्छ्रात्संधारयन्पदम्

Transliteration

nīlāṃbaradharaḥ kṣāmo dīno daṇḍasamāśritaḥ | kṣutkurvañchleṣmaṇā tāvatkṛcchrātsaṃdhārayanpadam

Translation

นุ่งห่มอาภรณ์สีน้ำเงิน ผ่ายผอมและน่าเวทนา พิงไม้เท้า—จามพร้อมเสมหะ แทบทรงก้าวยืนได้ด้วยความยากลำบากยิ่ง

Word by Word

• नीलाम्बरधरः: wearer of a blue garment
• नीलाम्बरधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + अम्बर + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—नीलम् अम्बरम् यस्य सः (नीलाम्बर) + धरः (धारकः)

• क्षामः: emaciated
• क्षामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दीनः: wretched, poor
• दीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दण्डसमाश्रितः: leaning on a staff
• दण्डसमाश्रितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड + सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) → समाश्रित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘समाश्रित’ = आश्रितः; समासः—दण्डम् समाश्रितः

• क्षुत्: hunger
• क्षुत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘क्षुत्’ = क्षुधा

• कुर्वन्: doing, causing
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘कुर्वन्’ = doing/causing

• श्लेष्मणा: with phlegm
• श्लेष्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लेष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तावत्: so long, to that extent
• तावत्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक (so much/for that long)

• कृच्छ्रात्: with difficulty, from hardship
• कृच्छ्रात्: Hetu/Source (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—‘कृच्छ्रात्’ = कष्टेन

• संधारयन्: supporting, sustaining
• संधारयन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-धृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘संधारयन्’ = sustaining/holding together

• पदम्: step, foot
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gaunt figure in blue garments, trembling and leaning on a staff, sneezing and struggling to stand at the edge of a sacrificial enclosure, watched by priests and onlookers.

Characters & Entities

• Yakṣmā (implied sufferer)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text vividly portrays suffering to highlight the need for higher refuge—tīrtha, devotion, and dharma—beyond ordinary strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader kuṇḍa/tīrtha narrative of Nāgarakhaṇḍa Adhyāya 190; this verse prepares the ground for the tīrtha’s curative glory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a narrative depiction of the afflicted person’s condition.