Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

प्रासादध्वजभंगोयस्त्वयैक्षत निशाक्षये । राज्यक्षयकरं विद्धि महोत्पाताय निश्चितम्

Transliteration

prāsādadhvajabhaṃgoyastvayaikṣata niśākṣaye | rājyakṣayakaraṃ viddhi mahotpātāya niścitam

Translation

Das Brechen des Palastbanners, das du am Ende der Nacht sahst—wisse—bewirkt den Untergang des Königreichs; es ist ein großes, gewisses Unheilszeichen.

Word by Word

• प्रासाद: palace
• प्रासाद: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); masculine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• ध्वज: banner, flag
• ध्वज: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); masculine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• भंगः: the breaking (of the palace flag)
• भंगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular; समासः: प्रासाद-ध्वज-भंग (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: 'palace-flag breaking')

• यः: which/that (which)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun, masculine, nominative singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; pronoun, instrumental singular

• ऐक्षत: was seen / appeared
• ऐक्षत: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; imperfect, 3rd person singular, middle

• निशा: night
• निशा: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); feminine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• अक्षये: at night’s end (at dawn)
• अक्षये: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; masculine, locative singular; समासः: निशा-अक्षय (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: 'at the end of night')

• राज्य: kingdom, rule
• राज्य: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); neuter, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• क्षय: loss, destruction
• क्षय: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); masculine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member); समासः: राज्य-क्षय (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'loss of kingdom')

• करम्: causing (the) destruction
• करम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (णिच्/कर्तरि-प्रत्यय -कर), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjectival derivative 'causing', neuter nom/acc sg; समासः: राज्य-क्षय-कर

• विद्धि: know (it), understand
• विद्धि: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; imperative, 2nd person singular, active

• महत्: great
• महत्: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); neuter, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• उत्पाताय: for a great portent
• उत्पाताय: Sampradāna (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; masculine, dative singular; समासः: महा-उत्पात (कर्मधारय: 'great portent')

• निश्चितम्: determined, certain
• निश्चितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-चित् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle, neuter nom/acc sg

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the last watch of night, a palace banner snaps and falls; courtiers freeze; the king’s face pales; the city’s lamps flicker as the omen is recognized as certain calamity.

Characters & Entities

• Palace (prāsāda)
• Dhvaja (royal banner)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Symbols of sovereignty breaking indicate weakened protection; a ruler must restore righteousness and stability before collapse spreads.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-khaṇḍa backdrop is sacred Kāśī, but this verse is focused on royal omens rather than pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is given; the verse identifies a ‘mahotpāta’ (major portent).