Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

नरत्वे भूपतित्वं च परिप्राप्तमनेकशः । जले जलचरत्वं च स्थले च स्थलचारिता

Transliteration

naratve bhūpatitvaṃ ca pariprāptamanekaśaḥ | jale jalacaratvaṃ ca sthale ca sthalacāritā

Translation

Dans la condition humaine, nous avons maintes fois obtenu la royauté ; dans l’eau, nous fûmes des êtres aquatiques, et sur la terre, nous cheminâmes comme habitants du sol.

Word by Word

• नरत्वे: in (the state of) manhood
• नरत्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त

• भूपतित्वम्: kingship
• भूपतित्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूः पतेः भावः) + त्वान्त

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• परिप्राप्तम्: fully attained
• परिप्राप्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + प्र + आप् (धातु) → परिप्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (भूपतित्वम्) परिप्राप्तम् = was fully attained

• अनेकशः: many times/in many ways
• अनेकशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: many times/in many ways)

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• जलचरत्वम्: the state of being an aquatic creature
• जलचरत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + चर + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सप्तमी/तत्पुरुष-समर्थः (जले चरः) + त्वान्त

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• स्थले: on land
• स्थले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• स्थलचारिता: land-going nature/mode of moving on land
• स्थलचारिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थल + चारिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्थले चारिता = land-going)

Speaker

Pilgrims/supplicants (addressing Śiva in Kāśī; contextually within Skanda’s narration to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (the Lord)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A montage: a crowned king on a throne dissolves into scenes of aquatic life beneath rippling waters, then into terrestrial wandering—suggesting the wheel of birth turning through elements.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Status (even kingship) and species change do not end suffering; the cycle continues until true spiritual insight and grace arise.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s frame is Kāśī-māhātmya, preparing the mind for the liberating value of Śiva’s darśana in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.