Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यदेतद्दृश्यते नाथ तत्सर्वं क्षणभंगुरम् । अभंगुरो भवानेकस्त्वत्सपर्याप्यभंगुरा

Transliteration

yadetaddṛśyate nātha tatsarvaṃ kṣaṇabhaṃguram | abhaṃguro bhavānekastvatsaparyāpyabhaṃgurā

Translation

Alles, was in dieser Welt gesehen wird, o Herr, ist zerbrechlich und bricht in einem Augenblick. Du allein bist unvergänglich; und unvergänglich ist auch der Dienst an dir.

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (relative)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• दृश्यते: is seen
• दृश्यते: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: is seen)

• नाथ: O Lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (correlative)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण

• क्षण-भंगुरम्: momentary; perishable
• क्षण-भंगुरम्: Kriya (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षण + भंगुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षणस्य भंगुरम्)

• अभंगुरः: imperishable
• अभंगुरः: Kriya (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-भंगुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ (not perishable)

• भवान्: you (hon.)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (honorific 2nd person pronoun)

• एकः: alone; one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण

• त्वत्-सपर्या: service to you; worship of you
• त्वत्-सपर्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वत् + सपर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्वत्सपर्या = तव सपर्या, service to you)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (also/even)

• अभंगुरा: imperishable
• अभंगुरा: Kriya (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-भंगुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थ (imperishable)

Speaker

Birds addressing Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Internal audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative tableau: transient worldly forms (flowers wilting, fading city bustle) contrasted with Śiva’s steady, luminous presence; birds express insight that sevā is unbreakable.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Nātha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The visible world is momentary; lasting value lies in the imperishable Lord and in worship offered to him.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

As part of the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, the teaching supports Kāśī’s liberation ethos: turning from the transient to the eternal Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saparyā—devotional service/worship of Śiva—is affirmed as enduring (abhaṅgurā).