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

For a devotee of Gokarṇeśvara, when the time comes to merge into the five elements, no loss of spiritual awareness ever arises for one approaching the end.

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.