Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10
Devanagari script
तच्छ्रुत्वा प्राह मांसादः कर्मनामानि पार्थिव । मिथः कृतानि संज्ञार्थमस्माभिः स्वयमेव हि
Transliteration
tacchrutvā prāha māṃsādaḥ karmanāmāni pārthiva | mithaḥ kṛtāni saṃjñārthamasmābhiḥ svayameva hi
Translation
それを聞いてマーンサーダは言った。「王よ、これらは業より生じた名である。われらは自ら互いに名づけ、己が行いを示す標としているのだ。」
Word by Word
तत्that (speech/question)
तत्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Neuter, accusative singular: ‘that’)
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootश्रु (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund: ‘having heard’)
प्राहsaid
प्राह:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु; ‘to say’)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)
मांसादःMāṃsāda (the meat-eater; name/title)
मांसादः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमांस + आद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Masculine, nominative singular)
कर्मनामानिnames based on deeds
कर्मनामानि:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्म + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Neuter, nom./acc. plural)
पार्थिवO king
पार्थिव:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootपृथिवी + अण् → पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Masculine, vocative singular)
मिथःmutually
मिथः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमिथः (अव्यय)
Formपरस्परार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘mutually/among ourselves’)
कृतानिmade
कृतानि:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृत (कृदन्त; √कृ)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Neuter, nom./acc. plural); भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)
संज्ञार्थम्for the sake of identification/naming
संज्ञार्थम्:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootसंज्ञा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Neuter, accusative singular); प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)
अस्माभिःby us
अस्माभिः:
Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, बहुवचन, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental plural)
स्वयम्by ourselves
स्वयम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वयम् (अव्यय)
Formस्वयंकर्तृवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘oneself’)
एवindeed/only
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)
हिfor/indeed
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formहेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: ‘for/indeed’)
Speaker
Māṃsāda (preta)
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Sages (frame); immediate: king
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Māṃsāda speaks with a resigned clarity, pointing to himself and the others as if assigning labels; the king listens; the forest becomes a classroom of dharma.
Characters & Entities
M
MāṃsādaT
The KingFAQs
Actions become one’s true ‘name’—a moral identity that follows beyond social titles and lineage.
Not specified in this verse; it supports the larger tīrthamāhātmya narrative by explaining karmic causation.
None; the focus is explanatory (why their names reflect deeds).