Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

द्रुतमारुह्यशरठस्त्रिवर्णो यस्य मस्तके । प्रयाति याति तस्यायुः षण्मासेन परिक्षयम्

Transliteration

drutamāruhyaśaraṭhastrivarṇo yasya mastake | prayāti yāti tasyāyuḥ ṣaṇmāsena parikṣayam

Translation

ಯಾರ ತಲೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ವೇಗವಾಗಿ ಏರಿ ತ್ರಿವರ್ಣದ ಹಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲೇ ಹೊರಟುಹೋದರೆ, ಅವನ ಆಯುಷ್ಯ ಆರು ತಿಂಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಷಯಗೊಂಡು ಅಂತ್ಯವನ್ನು ಹೊಂದುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• आरुह्य: having mounted/ascended
• आरुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• शरठः: a lizard/śaraṭha (creature)
• शरठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रिवर्णः: three-colored
• त्रिवर्णः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयो वर्णाः यस्य)

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रयाति: goes forth/departs
• प्रयाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• षण्मासेन: within six months
• षण्मासेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• परिक्षयम्: to complete destruction/ending
• परिक्षयम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nature itself can become a mirror of fate; the teaching is to use such reminders to deepen Dharma and God-remembrance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kāśī’s sacred narrative (Kāśīkhaṇḍa), though it does not single out a named tīrtha in the line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it records an omen and its consequence.