Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

शम्बरोर्मासषट्कं च शशकस्य तु पञ्चकम् । चत्वारः शल्लकस्योक्तास्त्रयो वा तैत्तिरस्य च

Transliteration

śambarormāsaṣaṭkaṃ ca śaśakasya tu pañcakam | catvāraḥ śallakasyoktāstrayo vā taittirasya ca

Translation

Du śambara vient une satisfaction de six mois ; du lièvre, de cinq. Quatre mois sont indiqués pour le śallaka, et trois mois aussi pour le taittira.

Word by Word

• शम्बरयोः: of the śambara (two/dual)
• शम्बरयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• मासषट्कम्: a period of six months
• मासषट्कम्: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound: 'six months'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• शशकस्य: of the hare
• शशकस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• तु: but/and (as for)
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (contrastive particle)

• पञ्चकम्: a set/period of five (months)
• पञ्चकम्: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Karta (Predicate-number/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शल्लकस्य: of the śallaka (porcupine/hedgehog-like animal)
• शल्लकस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्लक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• उक्ताः: are said
• उक्ताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate: 'are said')

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta (Predicate-number/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Option/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive/optional particle)

• तैत्तिरस्य: of the partridge (taittira)
• तैत्तिरस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैत्तिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing reply)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual manual-like scene: the sage recites while attendants prepare offerings; small vignettes show śambara deer, hare, śallaka (porcupine-like), and taittira (partridge) as emblematic figures with month-count motifs.

Characters & Entities

• śambara
• śaśaka (hare)
• śallaka
• taittira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text emphasizes proportionality of ritual fruit (phala) and encourages choosing offerings according to dharmic guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse itself does not name a site; it is embedded in a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter that includes dharma-instructions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A continuation of the graded śrāddha offering list with stated durations of Pitṛ satisfaction (six, five, four, three months).