Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

रेतः करजनेत्रांता नीलिमानं भजंति चेत् । तर्हि कीनाशनगरीं षष्ठेमासि व्रजेन्नरः

Transliteration

retaḥ karajanetrāṃtā nīlimānaṃ bhajaṃti cet | tarhi kīnāśanagarīṃ ṣaṣṭhemāsi vrajennaraḥ

Translation

Wenn Samen, Nägel und die Augenwinkel einen bläulichen Schimmer annehmen, dann wird jener Mann im sechsten Monat in die Stadt Yamas, des Herrn des Todes, gehen.

Word by Word

• रेतः: semen
• रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• करज: nail (finger/toe nail)
• करज: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे पूर्वपद)

• नेत्रान्ताः: corners/ends of the eyes
• नेत्रान्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नेत्रस्य अन्तः)

• नीलिमानम्: bluishness
• नीलिमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीलिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भजन्ति: take on/assume
• भजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, शर्तार्थक-निपात (conditional particle)

• तर्हि: then
• तर्हि: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तर्हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, परिणाम/अनन्तरार्थ (then)

• कीनाशनगरीम्: the city of Yama (lord of death)
• कीनाशनगरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + नगरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कीनाशस्य नगरी)

• षष्ठे: in the sixth
• षष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (मासे)

• मासि: in (the) month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: would go / should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• नरः: man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-audience (generic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man notices bluish discoloration in nails and at the eye-corners; in the background, a faint vision of Yama’s city looms, while a brighter path leads to a Śiva temple by the Gaṅgā—visualizing the choice between fear and refuge.

Characters & Entities

• Yama (Kīnāśa)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Remembering Yama’s domain encourages ethical living and timely spiritual preparation rather than negligence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context is Kāśī; this particular verse references Yama’s city as a metaphorical destination rather than a pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it states a prognostic sign and its time-frame.