Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

निहत्य खड्गमादाय तस्य मांसं सुपुष्कलम् । तथा मधु समादाय कालशाकं विशेषतः

Transliteration

nihatya khaḍgamādāya tasya māṃsaṃ supuṣkalam | tathā madhu samādāya kālaśākaṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

খড়্গ (গণ্ডার) বধ করে তার প্রচুর মাংস নিল, আর মধুও সংগ্রহ করল—বিশেষত কালশাক শাকসহ—(কর্মের জন্য) প্রস্তুতি করল।

Word by Word

• निहत्य: having killed
• निहत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-√हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• खड्गम्: a sword
• खड्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्

• मांसम्: meat
• मांसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• सुपुष्कलम्: very abundant
• सुपुष्कलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पुष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (adverb: likewise)

• मधु: honey
• मधु: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• समादाय: having taken/collected
• समादाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• कालशाकम्: kāla-śāka (a kind of leafy vegetable)
• कालशाकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (continuing first-person/third-person narrative in the chapter)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-uttamāḥ (addressed audience of brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler/hunter figure with a sword, having slain a rhinoceros, gathers ample meat; nearby are honey and bundles of dark leafy greens (kālaśāka), arranged as ritual provisions for an impending pitṛ-rite.

Characters & Entities

• Khaḍga (rhinoceros)
• Madhu (honey)
• Kālaśāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The narrative highlights deliberate preparation for pitṛ rites, emphasizing readiness and intent (though the specific items are story-specific).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter is a tīrtha-māhātmya, but this verse does not identify the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Collecting specific food items (including honey and leafy greens) intended for śrāddha offerings.