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Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

मानुष्यं दुर्लभं प्राप्य विद्युत्संपातचंचलम् । गंगां यः सेवते सोत्र बुद्धेः पारं परं गतः

Transliteration

mānuṣyaṃ durlabhaṃ prāpya vidyutsaṃpātacaṃcalam | gaṃgāṃ yaḥ sevate sotra buddheḥ pāraṃ paraṃ gataḥ

Translation

Nachdem man diese menschliche Geburt erlangt hat—so selten und flüchtig wie ein Blitz—hat, wer hier der Gaṅgā dient, das jenseitige Ufer, fern vom gewöhnlichen Verstand, bereits überschritten.

Word by Word
मानुष्यम्human life/state
मानुष्यम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootमानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
दुर्लभम्hard to obtain
दुर्लभम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मानुष्यम्)
प्राप्यhaving obtained
प्राप्य:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + आप् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); “having obtained”
विद्युत्संपातचञ्चलम्fickle like a flash of lightning
विद्युत्संपातचञ्चलम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootविद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + संपात (प्रातिपदिक) + चञ्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मानुष्यम्); तत्पुरुषः (विद्युतः संपातः इव चञ्चलम्)
गङ्गाम्the Ganga
गङ्गाम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootगङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
यःwho
यः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)
सेवतेserves/worships
सेवते:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootसेव् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
उतindeed
उत:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउत (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्प/उत्कर्ष-निपात (particle: “indeed/also”)
बुद्धेःof intellect
बुद्धेः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
पारम्the far shore/limit
पारम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootपार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
परम्supreme/farthest
परम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पारम्)
गतःhas gone/has reached
गतः:
Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (as predicate adjective to सः)
Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lightning flash in a dark monsoon sky over Kāśī; below, a devotee performs Gaṅgā-sevā at the ghat—lighting lamps, offering water—while a symbolic ‘shore crossing’ motif shows a boat moving from ignorance to luminous calm.

Characters & Entities
G
Gaṅgā
K
Kāśī
K
Kali-yuga

FAQs

Because life is brief and rare, one should prioritize Gaṅgā-sevā; it elevates a person beyond merely intellectual religion toward realized spiritual good.

Gaṅgā in Kāśī—presented as the most worthwhile focus of devotion within fragile human life.

Sevā (reverent service) of Gaṅgā—typically including visiting, bathing, offering prayers, and honoring the tīrtha.

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