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

اس نے کہا: “تیرھویں تِتھی کو شرادھ کرو؛ شہد کے ساتھ، کال شاک (گہرے پتّوں والی ساگ) کے ساتھ، اور صرف کھڈگ کے گوشت کے ساتھ نذر کرو؛ اور پَیاس (کھیر) بھی تیار کرو۔”

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.