Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

गोकर्णेश्वर भक्तस्य पंचत्व समये सति । ज्ञानभ्रंशो न जायेत क्वचिदप्यंतमृच्छतः

Transliteration

gokarṇeśvara bhaktasya paṃcatva samaye sati | jñānabhraṃśo na jāyeta kvacidapyaṃtamṛcchataḥ

Translation

Für den Verehrer Gokarṇeśvaras, wenn die Zeit kommt, in die fünf Elemente einzugehen, entsteht bei dem dem Ende Nahenden niemals ein Verlust geistiger Wachheit.

Word by Word

• गोकर्णेश्वर: O Gokarṇeśvara
• गोकर्णेश्वर: Sambandha (Vocative-like address/उक्तिविषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकर्ण + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सम्बोधन/उक्तिविषयः); समासः—गोकर्णस्य ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• भक्तस्य: of the devotee
• भक्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पञ्चत्व: death (becoming the five elements)
• पञ्चत्व: Sambandha (Context/अवस्था)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of being five elements = death)

• समये: at the time
• समये: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सति: when (it) is/being
• सति: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: सत्-प्रत्ययान्त (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ), सप्तमी-एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; 'सति' = locative absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)

• ज्ञानभ्रंशः: loss of knowledge
• ज्ञानभ्रंशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + भ्रंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः—ज्ञानस्य भ्रंशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• जायेत: would arise
• जायेत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातुः—जन् (प्रादुर्भावे)

• क्वचित्: ever/anywhere
• क्वचित्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/काल-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: 'ever/anywhere')

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

• अन्तम्: the end
• अन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः कर्म

• ऋच्छतः: of one who is reaching/going to
• ऋच्छतः: Sambandha (Genitive of agent/कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ्/ऋ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; धातुः—ऋच्छ् (गत्यर्थे: to go/attain)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gokarṇeśvara (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene dying devotee in Kāśī, lying on a simple cot near a shrine corridor; subtle imagery of the five elements dissolving (earth, water, fire, air, ether) while a radiant liṅga of Gokarṇeśvara anchors the devotee’s awareness; attendants chant softly.

Characters & Entities

• Gokarṇeśvara
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Śiva in Kāśī is praised for preserving clarity of consciousness at the final moment, supporting a dharmic and liberated passing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gokarṇeśvara in Kāśī, linked with auspicious anta-kāla (end-time) spiritual stability.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhakti (devotional adherence) to Gokarṇeśvara, implying regular worship and remembrance.