Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

करिकर्णाग्रचपलं जीवितं विविधं वसु । तस्मात्परोपकरणं कार्यमेकं विपश्चिता

Transliteration

karikarṇāgracapalaṃ jīvitaṃ vividhaṃ vasu | tasmātparopakaraṇaṃ kāryamekaṃ vipaścitā

Translation

Das Leben ist so flatterhaft wie die Spitze eines Elefantenohrs, und der Reichtum hat viele unbeständige Gestalten; darum soll der Weise vor allem eines tun: anderen beistehen.

Word by Word

• kari-karṇa-agra-capalam: fickle like the tip of an elephant’s ear
• kari-karṇa-agra-capalam: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kari (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक) + capala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; ‘करिणः कर्णाग्रवत् चपलम्’ इत्यर्थे ‘jīvitam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vividham: various
• vividham: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘vasu’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• vasu: wealth
• vasu: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे ‘therefore/from that’

• para-upakaraṇam: service/helping others
• para-upakaraṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + upakaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘परस्य उपकरणम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• kāryam: to be done
• kāryam: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् ‘to be done’

• ekam: one (alone)
• ekam: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘kāryam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• vipaścitā: by the wise
• vipaścitā: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipaścit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘विपश्चिता (जनैः)’ इति कर्तृ-करणभावे; ‘by the wise person’

Speaker

Pārāśarya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise pilgrim watches an elephant flap its ear; the metaphor overlays a fleeting human life scene and shifting piles of coins; the pilgrim then gives alms and helps a traveler on the ghat steps.

Characters & Entities

• Wise person (vipaścit)
• Impermanence (life/wealth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Because life and wealth are unstable, the wisest and most lasting use of one’s time is compassionate service to others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse serves as dharma-sāra within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed; it enjoins a constant vow-like practice of paropakāra (benefiting others).