Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

मधुना कालशाकेन खड्गमांसेन केवलम् । स हि श्राद्धं त्रयोदश्यां कुरु ते पायसेन च

Transliteration

madhunā kālaśākena khaḍgamāṃsena kevalam | sa hi śrāddhaṃ trayodaśyāṃ kuru te pāyasena ca

Translation

“त्रयोदशीला श्राद्ध कर—मधु, काळशाक आणि केवळ खड्ग-मांस अर्पण कर; तसेच पायस (खीर)ही तयार कर.”

Word by Word

• मधुना: with honey
• मधुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कालशाकेन: with black/dark greens (a kind of vegetable)
• कालशाकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल-शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• खड्गमांसेन: with rhinoceros meat
• खड्गमांसेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग-मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• केवलम्: only, exclusively
• केवलम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधारणार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (restrictive adverb)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• त्रयोदश्याम्: on the thirteenth (lunar day)
• त्रयोदश्याम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोदशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कुरु: do, perform
• कुरु: Vidhi (Command/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पायसेन: with rice-pudding
• पायसेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrative voice within Bhartṛyajña episode (likely Bhartṛyajña as narrator in this adhyāya-context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting: brāhmaṇas seated on kuśa mats; offerings arranged—honey pot, leafy greens, a meat dish labeled ‘khaḍga’, and a bowl of pāyasa; the patron-king attentive to instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Trayodaśī
• Pāyasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha done with faith and proper observance of tithi and offerings is presented as a dharmic means to honor and satisfy the ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya stream; the immediate line stresses śrāddha-vidhi rather than naming a distinct tīrtha in this single verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha is prescribed specifically on Trayodaśī, with offerings including honey and pāyasa (sweet rice), alongside other listed food items.