Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

मधुजालं ततो जातं कालेन महता महत् । येनान्ये मधुना तृप्तिं प्राप्ताः शतसहस्रशः

Transliteration

madhujālaṃ tato jātaṃ kālena mahatā mahat | yenānye madhunā tṛptiṃ prāptāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ

Translation

Mit der langen Zeit entstand ein gewaltiger Vorrat an Honig; durch diesen Honig erlangten zahllose andere—zu Hunderten und Tausenden—Sättigung und Genüge.

Word by Word

• madhu-jālam: a net/flow of honey
• madhu-jālam: Karta (Subject) / Karma (as context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + jāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tataḥ: thereupon/from that
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb)

• jātam: arose/was produced
• jātam: Predicate participle (of madhujālam)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘arisen/produced’

• kālena: by time / in course of time
• kālena: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• mahatā: great
• mahatā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of kālena)

• mahat: great/large
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of madhujālam)

• yena: by which
• yena: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• madhunā: with honey
• madhunā: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• tṛptim: satisfaction
• tṛptim: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• prāptāḥ: attained/obtained
• prāptāḥ: Predicate participle (of anye)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-भावे (functioning as predicate of ‘anye’)

• śata-sahasraśaḥ: by hundreds of thousands / in countless numbers
• śata-sahasraśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + -śas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक-प्रकारवाचक (distributive adverb: ‘by hundreds and thousands’)

Speaker

Unspecified (Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A large honeycomb formed over time; many beings (bees, perhaps villagers/pilgrims in allegory) partake and are satisfied—suggesting communal nourishment.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When wisdom/merit is steadily gathered, it becomes an abundant resource that can nourish and satisfy many beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not specify a named tīrtha; it supports the broader Māhātmya narrative’s spiritual message.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription is given; the verse highlights the fruit of sustained effort and its benefit to others.