Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

किंतु सर्वगुणोपेतं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम् । संपूर्णनिर्मलकलं पातयेद्विधुवद्विधिः

Transliteration

kiṃtu sarvaguṇopetaṃ sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitam | saṃpūrṇanirmalakalaṃ pātayedvidhuvadvidhiḥ

Translation

Yet even one endowed with every virtue and marked by every auspicious sign—complete and spotless in every part—may be struck down by adverse destiny, as the moon is brought low by its ordained course.

Word by Word

• किंतु: but, however
• किंतु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंतु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अपवादार्थक (conjunction: but/however)

• सर्वगुणोपेतम्: endowed with all virtues
• सर्वगुणोपेतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त; इ/ए धातु with उप-; past participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः गुणैः उपेतम्)

• सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्: marked by all auspicious signs
• सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षित (कृदन्त; लक्ष् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वलक्षणैः लक्षितम्)

• संपूर्णनिर्मलकलम्: fully pure and complete in parts/beauty
• संपूर्णनिर्मलकलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संपूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक) + कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय-श्रृङ्खला: संपूर्णं निर्मलं कलं यस्य/यत्)

• पातयेत्: would cause to fall, would ruin
• पातयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) (णिच् causative: पातय-)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• विधुवत्: like the moon
• विधुवत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (adverbial: like the moon)

• विधिः: Fate, the Ordainer (Brahmā)
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (deduced from immediate context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage explaining to concerned listeners: even a flawless, radiant figure can be ‘brought down’ by vidhi, illustrated by the moon descending along its ordained path—moon imagery dominating the sky behind the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Vidhi (Fate/Ordinance)
• Vidhu (Moon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious signs and virtues do not remove the workings of destiny; therefore one should combine merit with vigilance and dharmic conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context glorifies Kāśī’s sacred narrative world, though this verse is a general teaching on fate rather than a tīrtha-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it offers a doctrinal caution about daiva (destiny).