Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

पंचम्याः सप्तमीं यावदतिकायवधस्त्र्यहात् । अष्टम्या द्वादशीं यावन्निहतो दिनपंचकात्

Transliteration

paṃcamyāḥ saptamīṃ yāvadatikāyavadhastryahāt | aṣṭamyā dvādaśīṃ yāvannihato dinapaṃcakāt

Translation

Von der fünften bis zur siebten Tithi vollzog sich die Tötung Atikāyas in drei Tagen. Von der achten bis zur zwölften wurde er innerhalb einer Zählung von fünf Tagen erschlagen.

Word by Word

• पञ्चम्याः: from the fifth (tithi)
• पञ्चम्याः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Ablative (5th), Singular (तिथिः)

• सप्तमीम्: (up to) the seventh (tithi)
• सप्तमीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular (तिथिः)

• यावत्: up to
• यावत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधी/पर्यन्तार्थक — Indeclinable limit-marker

• अतिकायवधः: the slaying of Atikaya
• अतिकायवधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिकाय (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अतिकायस्य वधः’

• त्र्यहात्: from/within three days (over a three-day span)
• त्र्यहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Ablative (5th), Singular; द्विगु-समास (कालपरिमाण)

• अष्टम्या: from the eighth (tithi)
• अष्टम्या: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Ablative (5th), Singular (तिथिः)

• द्वादशीम्: (up to) the twelfth (tithi)
• द्वादशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular (तिथिः)

• यावत्: up to
• यावत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधी/पर्यन्तार्थक — Indeclinable limit-marker

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दिनपञ्चकात्: from a five-day period
• दिनपञ्चकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Ablative (5th), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘दिनानां पञ्चकं’ (five-day period)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Atikāya’s slaying is narrated as spanning pañcamī to saptamī (three days), then framed again as aṣṭamī to dvādaśī (five days) in a different counting; the battlefield shows repeated clashes, each day marked by changing sky and banners.

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even formidable obstacles are removed in due time; dharma’s victory unfolds through measured perseverance, not haste.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified in this verse; it is a chronological notice within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is time-reckoning (tithi/day-count) rather than a ritual instruction.