Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

अस्ताचलस्य शिखरं याते भानौ गते खगे । कुलायाद्बाह्यमागत्योवाच पारावती पतिम्

Transliteration

astācalasya śikharaṃ yāte bhānau gate khage | kulāyādbāhyamāgatyovāca pārāvatī patim

Translation

Quand le soleil eut atteint le sommet de la montagne de l’occident et que l’oiseau (l’épervier) se fut éloigné, la colombe sortit du nid et parla à son époux.

Word by Word

• अस्ताचलस्य: of the western mountain (sunset mountain)
• अस्ताचलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्ताचल (प्रातिपदिक; अस्त + अचल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (of)

• शिखरम्: peak, summit
• शिखरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

• याते: when (he/it) had gone
• याते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• भानौ: in the sun (when the sun...)
• भानौ: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• गते: having gone
• गते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• खगे: in the bird (i.e., when the bird had gone)
• खगे: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• कुलायात्: from the nest
• कुलायात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अपादान (from)

• बाह्यम्: outside
• बाह्यम्: Karma/Goal (Destination as object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as goal: outside)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriya-viseshana (Gerundial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having come)

• उवाच: said, spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पारावती: the female pigeon
• पारावती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• पतिम्: to (her) husband
• पतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

Speaker

Narrator voice within Skanda’s narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya (typical Purāṇic frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Twilight at the western horizon; the sun touches the astācala peak. A quiet nest in a tree or eave; the hawk has departed. The female pigeon steps out, anxious yet composed, turning to address her mate.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Pārāvatī (pigeon)
• Pārāvata (pigeon)
• Śyena (hawk)
• Bhānu (sun)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right timing matters; one should choose the proper moment—when danger withdraws—to plan and act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred geography of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa, though the verse focuses on narrative timing rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.