Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

कांस्यं मांसं क्षुरं क्षौद्रं पुनर्भोजनमैथुने । कार्तिके वर्जयेद्यस्तु य एतान्ब्राह्मणः सदा

Transliteration

kāṃsyaṃ māṃsaṃ kṣuraṃ kṣaudraṃ punarbhojanamaithune | kārtike varjayedyastu ya etānbrāhmaṇaḥ sadā

Translation

కార్తిక మాసమంతా ఎల్లప్పుడూ కాంస్యపాత్ర వినియోగాన్ని (సంయమార్థం) విడిచి, మాంసం, క్షౌరకర్మం (గడ్డం/జుట్టు గీయడం), తేనె, పునర్భోజనం (భోజనం తర్వాత మళ్లీ తినడం), మైథునం వర్జించే బ్రాహ్మణుడు—అతడే నియమానుసార సంయమాన్ని ఆచరిస్తాడు।

Word by Word

• kāṃsyam: bronze/brass (vessel/metal)
• kāṃsyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṃsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• māṃsam: meat
• māṃsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• kṣuram: razor
• kṣuram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• kṣaudram: honey
• kṣaudram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• punarbhojanam: eating again / re-eating
• punarbhojanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: punar (अव्यय) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः—पुनः भोजनम् (eating again/re-eating)

• maithune: in sexual intercourse
• maithune: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विषय/अधिकरणे (in sexual intercourse)

• kārtike: in Kārttika
• kārtike: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārttika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कालवाचक

• varjayet: should avoid
• varjayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः—वृज्/वर्ज् (to avoid)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधकः

• tu: indeed / but
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेष/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• yaḥ: who (that one who)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-सम्बन्धबोधकः (emphatic relative)

• etān: these
• etān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• brāhmaṇaḥ: a brāhmaṇa
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇāḥ / dvijāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vrata-observer in simple white garments, refusing rich foods and pleasures; a small altar with Viṣṇu, tulasī, and a lamp; symbols of the avoided items shown as crossed-out motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Kārtika
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual potency in Kārtika is intensified through self-restraint—especially food, sensual, and lifestyle discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is on Kārtika-niyama as a dharma-teaching within a tīrtha-māhātmya section, rather than a named locale in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoidance in Kārtika of: meat, honey, shaving (kṣura), sexual intercourse, punarbhojana, and the kāṃsya-related restraint.