Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

संहारकाले संप्राप्ते सदेवानखिलान्मुनीन् । लोकान्वर्णाश्रमवतो हरिष्यसि यदा हर

Transliteration

saṃhārakāle saṃprāpte sadevānakhilānmunīn | lokānvarṇāśramavato hariṣyasi yadā hara

Translation

Quand vient l’heure de la dissolution, ô Hara, tu retires tout : les dieux avec les sages, et les mondes ordonnés selon varṇa et āśrama.

Word by Word

• संहारकाले: at the time of dissolution
• संहारकाले: अधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (‘संहारस्य कालः’)

• संप्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• संप्राप्ते: अधिकरण (Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘(काले) संप्राप्ते’ सति (locative absolute sense)

• सदेवान्: together with the gods
• सदेवान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत् ‘सहित’) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (‘देवैः सह’ = with the gods)

• अखिलान्: all
• अखिलान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to मुनीन्)

• मुनीन्: sages
• मुनीन्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• वर्णाश्रमवतः: having (the system of) varṇas and āśramas
• वर्णाश्रमवतः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to लोकान्); समास: तत्पुरुष (‘वर्णाश्रमौ यस्य/येषां सन्ति’ + वत्)

• हरिष्यसि: you will take away / destroy
• हरिष्यसि: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यदा: when
• यदा: कालसम्बन्ध (Temporal marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal conjunction)

• हर: O Hara
• हर: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast pralaya vision: Śiva as Hara draws back gods, sages, and the structured worlds; varṇāśrama symbols fade into a cosmic night, emphasizing impermanence and Śiva’s sovereignty.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Hara)
• Devas
• Munis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All cosmic structures—even gods, sages, and social-religious orders—are transient before the Supreme who dissolves the universe.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework glorifies Kāśī as Śiva’s supreme sphere, though this verse speaks generally of pralaya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement about dissolution and impermanence.