Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

कलरव्युवाच । प्रिय पारावत प्राज्ञ सर्वकामि सुखारव । तव दृग्विषयं प्राप्तः श्येनोय प्रबलो रिपुः

Transliteration

kalaravyuvāca | priya pārāvata prājña sarvakāmi sukhārava | tava dṛgviṣayaṃ prāptaḥ śyenoya prabalo ripuḥ

Translation

Kalaravā sprach: „Geliebte Taube—weise, süßstimmig, Erfüllerin aller Wünsche—dieser Habicht, ein mächtiger Feind, ist nun in dein Blickfeld gelangt.“

Word by Word

• कलरवी: Kalaravī (name)
• कलरवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलरवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); वक्तृ-निर्देश (speaker)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• प्रिय: dear
• प्रिय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) पारावत

• पारावत: O paravat (pigeon)
• पारावत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राज्ञ: O wise one
• प्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वकामि: O fulfiller/desirer of all wishes
• सर्वकामि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + कामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां कामानां कामी = desiring/fulfilling all wishes)

• सुखारव: O sweet-voiced one
• सुखारव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सुखः रवः यस्य)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृग्विषयम्: the range of (your) sight
• दृग्विषयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश्/दृक् (प्रातिपदिक) + विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दृशः विषयः = range of sight)

• प्राप्तः: has come/arrived
• प्राप्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle) √आप् with उपसर्ग प्र; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्येनः: the hawk
• श्येनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रबलः: strong
• प्रबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) रिपुः/श्येनः

• रिपुः: enemy
• रिपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Kalaravā (the dove-wife)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up of the Kalaravā bird speaking to her dove-husband: gentle posture, affectionate gaze, yet pointing toward the looming hawk; contrast of tenderness and threat.

Characters & Entities

• Kalaravā
• Pārāvata (male dove)
• Śyena (hawk)
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in sacred refuge, vigilance and wise communication are part of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī-kṣetra atmosphere is the backdrop, where refuge is real yet calls for mindful conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is direct speech announcing the presence of danger.