Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

करावरुद्ध श्रवणः शृणोति न यदा ध्वनिम् । स्थूलः कृशः कृशस्थूलस्तदामासान्निवर्तते

Transliteration

karāvaruddha śravaṇaḥ śṛṇoti na yadā dhvanim | sthūlaḥ kṛśaḥ kṛśasthūlastadāmāsānnivartate

Translation

Lorsque, même en se couvrant les oreilles de ses mains, une personne n’entend plus aucun son ; et lorsque le corps devient gros, maigre, ou alterne étrangement entre maigreur et embonpoint—alors la vie se retire en l’espace de quelques mois.

Word by Word

• कर-अवरुद्ध-श्रवणः: one whose hearing is blocked by the hands
• कर-अवरुद्ध-श्रवणः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक) + अवरुद्ध (कृदन्त; √रुध्) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य श्रवणं करैः अवरुद्धम्)

• शृणोति: hears
• शृणोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधबोधक अव्यय (negation)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (when)

• ध्वनिम्: sound
• ध्वनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थूलः: fat, stout
• स्थूलः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृशः: thin, emaciated
• कृशः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृश-स्थूलः: alternately thin and stout
• कृश-स्थूलः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (कृशश्च स्थूलश्च)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (then)

• मासात्: from a month (within a month)
• मासात्: Apadana (Limit-from/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (ablative singular)

• निवर्तते: ceases, comes to an end
• निवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person covers his ears with both hands yet hears no sound; beside him, his body is depicted in successive silhouettes—stout, emaciated, then oddly alternating—while a faint prāṇa-like mist withdraws upward, suggesting life receding over months.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Physical decline is treated as a dharmic prompt to prioritize liberation-oriented practice over attachment to the body.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage is part of the Kāśī-khaṇḍa narrative atmosphere, reinforcing urgency within the sacred sphere of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse lists bodily/aural omens indicating limited time.