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

Ayant abattu un rhinocéros et en ayant pris une chair abondante, et s’étant procuré aussi du miel—avec, tout particulièrement, des feuilles de kālaśāka—(il se prépara au rite).

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.