Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तथा विचित्र मासेषु संस्थितेषु नराधिप । खङ्गमांसं निरास्वादं कस्माद्यच्छसि केवलम्

Transliteration

tathā vicitra māseṣu saṃsthiteṣu narādhipa | khaṅgamāṃsaṃ nirāsvādaṃ kasmādyacchasi kevalam

Translation

Et de plus, ô souverain des hommes : alors que tant de mois excellents sont là, pourquoi n’offres-tu que la viande de khaṅga, sans saveur ?

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘likewise/also’

• विचित्र: O strange one / (text uncertain)
• विचित्र: Sambodhana/Uncertain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; (पाठे ‘विचित्र’ इति—सम्बोधनरूपेण ‘O wondrous/strange (one)’ अथवा ‘विचित्रेषु’ अपेक्षितम्)

• मासेषु: in months
• मासेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• संस्थितेषु: when (they are) occurring; established
• संस्थितेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम् + √स्था + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (मासेषु) = ‘when (they are) set/occurred’

• नराधिप: O king
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक; नर + अधिप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• खङ्गमांसम्: khaṅga-meat (meat of ‘khaṅga’)
• खङ्गमांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘(of) khaṅga’ + ‘meat’ (animal-species unclear)

• निरास्वादम्: tasteless; without relish
• निरास्वादम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरास्वाद (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + आस्वाद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (खङ्गमांसम्)

• कस्मात्: why; from what reason
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-एकवचन (ablative) ‘from what cause/why’

• यच्छसि: you give; offer
• यच्छसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु; यच्छ-आदेश)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; ‘only/merely’ (adverbial)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas addressing the king

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (narādhipa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas look at a single platter of dark meat set apart from other dishes; their faces show surprise and disapproval; the king appears resolute, as if bound by a vow.

Characters & Entities

• Narādhipa (king)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offerings should be fitting and respectful; ritual giving is judged by appropriateness, not merely by the act of giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is part of a tīrtha narrative frame, but it does not itself specify a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It questions the suitability of offering meat (here, khaṅga-meat) as śrāddha food for brāhmaṇas.