Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अरुंधती भवेज्जिह्वा ध्रुवो नासाग्रमुच्यते । विष्णोः पदानि भ्रूमध्ये नेत्रयोर्मातृमंडलम्

Transliteration

aruṃdhatī bhavejjihvā dhruvo nāsāgramucyate | viṣṇoḥ padāni bhrūmadhye netrayormātṛmaṃḍalam

Translation

Bila lidah seseorang tampak laksana Arundhatī, ujung hidung disebut Dhruva; bila di antara alis terlihat jejak kaki Viṣṇu dan di dalam mata tampak lingkaran para Mātṛ (Ibu-ibu Ilahi)—semua itu dipandang sebagai pertanda buruk mendekatnya maut.

Word by Word

• अरुंधती: Arundhatī (a star/name)
• अरुंधती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुंधती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become / should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• जिह्वा: tongue
• जिह्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ध्रुवः: Dhruva (Pole Star)
• ध्रुवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नासाग्रम्: tip of the nose
• नासाग्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नासायाः अग्रं)

• उच्यते: is said / is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पदानि: feet/steps/footprints
• पदानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भ्रूमध्ये: in the middle of the eyebrows
• भ्रूमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भ्रुवोः मध्ये)

• नेत्रयोः: of the two eyes
• नेत्रयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• मातृमण्डलम्: circle/region of the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृमण्डलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मातॄणां मण्डलम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-audience (generic)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative pilgrim in Kāśī observes uncanny inner-visions: Arundhatī-like tongue, Dhruva at the nose-tip, Viṣṇu’s footprints between the brows, and a ring of Mātṛs reflected in the eyes—signs interpreted as death’s approach; background hints of Gaṅgā ghāṭs and a distant liṅga-shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Arundhatī
• Dhruva
• Viṣṇu
• Mātṛs
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches vigilance and detachment: bodily and perceptual changes are reminders of mortality, urging one to turn the mind toward Dharma and the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where teachings often frame death-awareness as a spur toward liberation-oriented living.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed in this verse; it lists nimittas (portents) connected with impending death.