Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

मधुजालानि भूरीणि गृहीतानि मया ततः । कालशाकं तथा लब्धं स्वेच्छया द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

madhujālāni bhūrīṇi gṛhītāni mayā tataḥ | kālaśākaṃ tathā labdhaṃ svecchayā dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

ثم جمعتُ أقراصَ عسلٍ كثيرة، ونلتُ كذلك خُضرة كالا-شاك (kālaśāka) كما اشتهيتُ، يا خيرَ ذوي الولادتين.

Word by Word

• मधुजालानि: honeycombs / honey-nets
• मधुजालानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुजाल (प्रातिपदिक; मधु + जाल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Pl.)

• भूरीणि: many, abundant
• भूरीणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Pl.; adjective)

• गृहीतानि: taken, collected
• गृहीतानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘taken’ (Past passive participle, Neut., Nom/Acc Pl.)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun, Instr. Sg.)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (indeclinable adverb of sequence)

• कालशाकम्: kāla-śāka (a kind of leafy vegetable)
• कालशाकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालशाक (प्रातिपदिक; काल + शाक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Sg.)

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यतावाचक (indeclinable: ‘also/likewise’)

• लब्धम्: obtained, found
• लब्धम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘obtained’ (PPP, Neut., Nom/Acc Sg.)

• स्वेच्छया: by (my) own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेच्छा (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + इच्छा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Instr. Sg.)

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (Masc., Nom. Pl.; used as address)

Speaker

First-person narrator addressing dvija-sattamas (brāhmaṇas)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (addressed brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dawn, the protagonist collects abundant honeycombs from trees and finds kālaśāka greens readily, as if nature itself cooperates with the intended rite.

Characters & Entities

• Madhu (honey)
• Kālaśāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is supported by careful preparation—gathering what is needed for offerings before performing the rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it remains part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Procuring specific offering-items (honey and greens) for the upcoming śrāddha/tarpaṇa.