Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

अहर्निशं मदस्रावी करींद्रः सोऽपि संस्थितः । तत्प्रभावैः प्रभिन्नः स पीयूषस्य कमंडलुः

Transliteration

aharniśaṃ madasrāvī karīṃdraḥ so'pi saṃsthitaḥ | tatprabhāvaiḥ prabhinnaḥ sa pīyūṣasya kamaṃḍaluḥ

Translation

Allí también estaba el elefante señorial, destilando su celo día y noche; y por esa influencia, el recipiente de néctar (kamaṇḍalu) se abrió en una hendidura.

Word by Word

• aharniśam: day and night
• aharniśam: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ahar + niśā (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (ahar-niśam = day and night, as an adverb)

• madasrāvī: exuding rut-fluid
• madasrāvī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mada + srāvin (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (madam srāvī = one that exudes rut) विशेषण (qualifying karīndraḥ)

• karīndraḥ: the lordly elephant
• karīndraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kari + indra (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (kariṇām indraḥ = lord of elephants)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (also/even)

• saṃsthitaḥ: was stationed / remained
• saṃsthitaḥ: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam√sthā (धातु) + kta → saṃsthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (predicate adjective)

• tatprabhāvaiḥ: by its influence/power
• tatprabhāvaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tasya prabhāvaiḥ = by its powers/effects)

• prabhinnaḥ: split open / burst
• prabhinnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√bhid (धातु) + kta → prabhinna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kamaṇḍaluḥ)

• saḥ: that
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to kamaṇḍaluḥ)

• pīyūṣasya: of nectar
• pīyūṣasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīyūṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• kamaṇḍaluḥ: water-pot (kamaṇḍalu)
• kamaṇḍaluḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamaṇḍalu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (purāṇic ākhyāna voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amṛta-kamaṇḍalu-bheda-sthāna (as described)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A powerful celestial elephant, rut-fluid streaming, stands near a sacred vessel; the kamaṇḍalu shows a dramatic crack, with a subtle glow suggesting nectar within.

Characters & Entities

• Karīndra (elephant king)
• Pīyūṣa/Amṛta
• Kamaṇḍalu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In purāṇic thought, divine potency reshapes matter and place—miracles arise naturally around sanctified remnants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting continues in Nandana-vana; the verse highlights the sanctified locale where the nectar-pot breaks open.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an origin-detail within the māhātmya.