Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

कांस्यं मांसं क्षुरं क्षौद्रं पुनर्भोजनमैथुने । कार्तिके वर्जयेद्यस्तु य एतान्ब्राह्मणः सदा

Transliteration

kāṃsyaṃ māṃsaṃ kṣuraṃ kṣaudraṃ punarbhojanamaithune | kārtike varjayedyastu ya etānbrāhmaṇaḥ sadā

Translation

Le brāhmane qui, durant tout Kārtika, s’abstient constamment des vases de bronze (kāṃsya), de la viande, du rasage, du miel, de remanger après le repas et de l’union sexuelle, celui-là observe véritablement la discipline prescrite.

Word by Word

• kāṃsyam: bronze/brass (vessel/metal)
• kāṃsyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṃsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• māṃsam: meat
• māṃsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• kṣuram: razor
• kṣuram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• kṣaudram: honey
• kṣaudram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• punarbhojanam: eating again / re-eating
• punarbhojanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: punar (अव्यय) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः—पुनः भोजनम् (eating again/re-eating)

• maithune: in sexual intercourse
• maithune: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विषय/अधिकरणे (in sexual intercourse)

• kārtike: in Kārttika
• kārtike: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārttika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कालवाचक

• varjayet: should avoid
• varjayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः—वृज्/वर्ज् (to avoid)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधकः

• tu: indeed / but
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेष/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• yaḥ: who (that one who)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-सम्बन्धबोधकः (emphatic relative)

• etān: these
• etān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• brāhmaṇaḥ: a brāhmaṇa
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇāḥ / dvijāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vrata-observer in simple white garments, refusing rich foods and pleasures; a small altar with Viṣṇu, tulasī, and a lamp; symbols of the avoided items shown as crossed-out motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Kārtika
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual potency in Kārtika is intensified through self-restraint—especially food, sensual, and lifestyle discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is on Kārtika-niyama as a dharma-teaching within a tīrtha-māhātmya section, rather than a named locale in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoidance in Kārtika of: meat, honey, shaving (kṣura), sexual intercourse, punarbhojana, and the kāṃsya-related restraint.