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Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

गृध्रयोरामिषं गृध्न्वोः परस्परजयैषिणोः । अवापतत्पादगुल्फं कंकचंचुपुटात्तदा

gṛdhrayorāmiṣaṃ gṛdhnvoḥ parasparajayaiṣiṇoḥ | avāpatatpādagulphaṃ kaṃkacaṃcupuṭāttadā

മാംസത്തിൽ കൊതിയുള്ളവരും പരസ്പരം ജയിക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവരുമായ ആ കഴുകന്മാരുടെ കൊക്കിൽ നിന്ന് ആ പാദവും കണങ്കാലും താഴെ വീണു.

गृध्रयोःof the two vultures
गृध्रयोः:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootगृध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual)
आमिषम्flesh/bait
आमिषम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootआमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
गृध्न्वोःof the two craving/desiring (ones)
गृध्न्वोः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootगृध् (धातु) → गृध्न्वत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्तः (Present participle), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (गृध्रयोः)
परस्परmutual/each other’s
परस्पर:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपरस्पर (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत्-पूर्वपदं; समासपूर्वाङ्ग (जयैषिणोः इति)
जयैषिणोःof the two seeking victory
जयैषिणोः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजय + एषिन् (प्रातिपदिक); जयैषिन् (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (जयम् एषिणौ = seeking victory)
अवापतत्fell down
अवापतत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव + पत् (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
पादगुल्फम्the ankle
पादगुल्फम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाद + गुल्फ (प्रातिपदिक); पादगुल्फ (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पादस्य गुल्फः = ankle of the foot)
कंकof the heron/kaṅka-bird
कंक:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootकंक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; (समासपूर्वाङ्ग)
चंचुपुटात्from the beak
चंचुपुटात्:
Apadana (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootचञ्चु + पुट (प्रातिपदिक); चञ्चुपुट (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चञ्चोः पुटः = beak-cavity)
तदाthen
तदा:
Kriya-visheshaṇa (Temporal adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम् (Adverb of time)

Maheśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (implied destination)

Type: river

Listener: null

Scene: Two vultures locked in combat; from a third bird’s beak (kaṅka) the ankle-foot slips and tumbles downward toward the unseen river, emphasizing gravity and fate.

G
gṛdhra (vultures)
K
kaṅka (carrion bird)
V
Vāhīka (implied)

FAQs

The body’s end is depicted as ignoble when life lacks dharma; the narrative prepares the contrast of sacred grace versus mere worldly decay.

The verse itself does not name a tīrtha, but it sets up the next moment where the limb falls toward the Gaṅgā—central to Kāśī’s sacred geography.

None directly.