Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

त्रिंशत्काष्ठां कलामाहुः क्षणस्त्रिंशत्कलो मतः । मुहूर्तमानं मौहूर्ता वदंति द्वादशक्षणम्

Transliteration

triṃśatkāṣṭhāṃ kalāmāhuḥ kṣaṇastriṃśatkalo mataḥ | muhūrtamānaṃ mauhūrtā vadaṃti dvādaśakṣaṇam

Translation

മുപ്പത് കാഷ്ഠകൾ ചേർന്ന് ഒരു കല എന്നു പറയുന്നു; ഒരു ക്ഷണം മുപ്പത് കലകളായി കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. മുഹൂർത്തഗണനയിൽ നിപുണർ—ഒരു മുഹൂർത്തം പന്ത്രണ്ട് ക്ഷണങ്ങളാണെന്ന് പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• triṃśat: thirty
• triṃśat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable-like numeral), स्त्रीलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचनस्य (kāṣṭhām) विशेषणम्

• kāṣṭhām: kāṣṭhā (a unit of time)
• kāṣṭhām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• kalām: a kalā (unit of time)
• kalām: Karma (Object; predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• āhuḥ: they say/call
• āhuḥ: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• kṣaṇaḥ: a kṣaṇa (moment)
• kṣaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• triṃśat: thirty
• triṃśat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः, पुंलिङ्ग-प्रथमा-एकवचनस्य (kalaḥ) विशेषणम्

• kalaḥ: a kala (unit)
• kalaḥ: Karta (Subject; in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• mataḥ: is considered
• mataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √man (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative)

• muhūrta-mānam: the measure of a muhūrta
• muhūrta-mānam: Karma (Object; predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक) + māna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्धः: muhūrtasya mānam); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (पाठे विधेयत्वेन)

• mauhūrtāḥ: those who know muhūrtas / experts in muhūrta
• mauhūrtāḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• vadanti: they say
• vadanti: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• dvādaśa: twelve
• dvādaśa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः, नपुंसकलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचनस्य (kṣaṇam) विशेषणम्

• kṣaṇam: kṣaṇas (moments)
• kṣaṇam: Karma (Object; predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned brāhmaṇa explains a palm-leaf chart of time-units—kāṣṭhā, kalā, kṣaṇa, muhūrta—while pilgrims prepare for a timed river-bath at a tīrtha ghat.

Characters & Entities

• kalā
• kāṣṭhā
• kṣaṇa
• muhūrta
• mauhūrta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred tradition treats time as structured and knowable; correct timing (muhūrta) supports auspicious action aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly mentioned; the verse supplies technical time-units within the broader tīrtha-mahātmya discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is commanded; muhūrta-measurement is referenced as authoritative for scheduling rites.