Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

इति खड्गमन्त्रः । एवं संपूज्य विधिना तं खङ्गं ब्राह्मणोत्तमैः । भ्रामयेन्नगरे रात्रौ नान्दीघोषपुरःसरम्

Transliteration

iti khaḍgamantraḥ | evaṃ saṃpūjya vidhinā taṃ khaṅgaṃ brāhmaṇottamaiḥ | bhrāmayennagare rātrau nāndīghoṣapuraḥsaram

Translation

Ainsi se présente le « mantra de l’épée ». Après avoir, selon le rite, honoré cette épée par les plus éminents brāhmaṇas, qu’on la fasse parcourir la cité durant la nuit, précédée d’acclamations de bon augure.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative/closure particle)

• khaḍga-mantraḥ: the sword-mantra
• khaḍga-mantraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga + mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (खड्गस्य मन्त्रः)

• evam: thus; in this way
• evam: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• saṃpūjya: having worshipped well
• saṃpūjya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + pūj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having duly worshipped’

• vidhinā: by the prescribed rite
• vidhinā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• khaṅgam: sword
• khaṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• brāhmaṇa-uttamaiḥ: by the best Brahmins
• brāhmaṇa-uttamaiḥ: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘श्रेष्ठैः ब्राह्मणैः’

• bhrāmayet: should cause to be moved/whirled; should carry around
• bhrāmayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhram (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nagare: in the city
• nagare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• nāndī-ghoṣa-puraḥsaram: with an auspicious proclamation going before (it)
• nāndī-ghoṣa-puraḥsaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāndī + ghoṣa + puraḥsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘नान्दीघोषः पुरःसरः यस्य’ (having the auspicious proclamation in front)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nighttime city procession: the consecrated sword carried reverently, surrounded by brahmins and townspeople; lamps and torches illuminate streets; nāndī-ghoṣa (auspicious acclamations) lead the way; the mood is protective and celebratory.

Characters & Entities

• Khaḍga-mantra
• Brāhmaṇa
• Nagarī (city)
• Nāndī-ghoṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consecrated power is not private; it is paraded for communal protection and auspiciousness under dharmic supervision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra’s ritual culture, as preserved in the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After proper worship, take the consecrated sword in a night procession through the city with auspicious cries leading.