Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

पंचम्याः सप्तमीं यावदतिकायवधस्त्र्यहात् । अष्टम्या द्वादशीं यावन्निहतो दिनपंचकात्

Transliteration

paṃcamyāḥ saptamīṃ yāvadatikāyavadhastryahāt | aṣṭamyā dvādaśīṃ yāvannihato dinapaṃcakāt

Translation

പഞ്ചമിയിൽ നിന്ന് സപ്തമിവരെ മൂന്നു ദിവസങ്ങളിൽ അതികായവധം നടന്നു. അഷ്ടമിയിൽ നിന്ന് ദ്വാദശിവരെ അഞ്ചുദിവസങ്ങളുടെ കണക്കിൽ അവൻ നിഹതനായി എന്നു പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• पञ्चम्याः: from the fifth (tithi)
• पञ्चम्याः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Ablative (5th), Singular (तिथिः)

• सप्तमीम्: (up to) the seventh (tithi)
• सप्तमीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular (तिथिः)

• यावत्: up to
• यावत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधी/पर्यन्तार्थक — Indeclinable limit-marker

• अतिकायवधः: the slaying of Atikaya
• अतिकायवधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिकाय (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अतिकायस्य वधः’

• त्र्यहात्: from/within three days (over a three-day span)
• त्र्यहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Ablative (5th), Singular; द्विगु-समास (कालपरिमाण)

• अष्टम्या: from the eighth (tithi)
• अष्टम्या: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Ablative (5th), Singular (तिथिः)

• द्वादशीम्: (up to) the twelfth (tithi)
• द्वादशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular (तिथिः)

• यावत्: up to
• यावत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधी/पर्यन्तार्थक — Indeclinable limit-marker

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दिनपञ्चकात्: from a five-day period
• दिनपञ्चकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Ablative (5th), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘दिनानां पञ्चकं’ (five-day period)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Atikāya’s slaying is narrated as spanning pañcamī to saptamī (three days), then framed again as aṣṭamī to dvādaśī (five days) in a different counting; the battlefield shows repeated clashes, each day marked by changing sky and banners.

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even formidable obstacles are removed in due time; dharma’s victory unfolds through measured perseverance, not haste.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified in this verse; it is a chronological notice within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is time-reckoning (tithi/day-count) rather than a ritual instruction.