Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

त्वदनीक्षणतः क्षणाद्विभो प्रलयं यांति जगंति शोच्यवत् । च्यवते भवतः कृपालवादितरोपीशनयस्त्वयोंकृतः

Transliteration

tvadanīkṣaṇataḥ kṣaṇādvibho pralayaṃ yāṃti jagaṃti śocyavat | cyavate bhavataḥ kṛpālavāditaropīśanayastvayoṃkṛtaḥ

Translation

ಹೇ ವಿಭೋ! ನಿನ್ನ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಕ್ಷಣಮಾತ್ರವೂ ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ ಜಗತ್ತು ಕರುಣಾಜನಕವಾಗಿ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲೇ ಪ್ರಳಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರುತ್ತದೆ. ನಿನ್ನ ಕೃಪೆಯ ಒಂದು ಬಿಂದುವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬ ‘ಈಶ್ವರ’ನೂ ನಿಲ್ಲಲಾರನು; ಎಲ್ಲ ಅಧಿಪತ್ಯವೂ ನಿನ್ನಿಂದಲೇ ಸ್ಥಾಪಿತವಾಗಿದೆ.

Word by Word

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘त्वद्-’ (प्रातिपदिकरूप)

• अनीक्षणतः: from (your) not looking/seeing
• अनीक्षणतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-नीक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; न + ईक्षण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘(त्वत्) अनीक्षणतः’ = ‘from not seeing you’

• क्षणात्: in a moment/from a moment
• क्षणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• विभो: O Lord, O all-pervading one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• प्रलयम्: to dissolution
• प्रलयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• जगन्ति: worlds, beings
• जगन्ति: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शोच्यवत्: as if pitiable
• शोच्यवत्: Visheshana (Manner/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शोच्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावप्राय उपमानवाचक (indeclinable in -vat, ‘like/as’)

• च्यवते: falls away, slips
• च्यवते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: च्यु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• भवतः: of you (honorific)
• भवतः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• कृपालवात्: from a drop of compassion
• कृपालवात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा-लव (प्रातिपदिक; कृपा + लव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• इतरः: another (one)
• इतरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक अव्यय

• ईशनयः: the way/means of lordship
• ईशनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ईशनय’ = ईशत्व-नीति/प्रभुत्व-मार्गः (contextual)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• उङ्कृतः: cut off, removed
• उङ्कृतः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्-कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘उत्कृत’ = cut off/removed

Speaker

Pārvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pārvatī points to the cosmic consequence of Śiva’s withdrawn glance: worlds trembling on the edge of dissolution; a single drop of compassion stabilizes all rulers and realms.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic stability depends on Śiva’s grace; all authority and power are derivative, inspiring humility and reliance on divine compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it supports the larger Kāśī-centered narrative by affirming Śiva’s supremacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement about grace and cosmic order.