Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

विभूतिः सर्वलोकानां सत्यादीनां सुभंगुरा । अभंगुरा विमुक्तस्य सा तु लभ्या शिवाज्ञया

Transliteration

vibhūtiḥ sarvalokānāṃ satyādīnāṃ subhaṃgurā | abhaṃgurā vimuktasya sā tu labhyā śivājñayā

Translation

ಸತ್ಯಲೋಕಾದಿ ಎಲ್ಲ ಲೋಕಗಳ ವಿಭೂತಿ ನಶ್ವರ. ಆದರೆ ವಿಮುಕ್ತನಿಗೆ ಆ ವಿಭೂತಿ ಅವಿನಾಶಿ; ಅದು ಶಿವಾಜ್ಞೆ (ಅನುಗ್ರಹ)ದಿಂದ ಮಾತ್ರ ಲಭ್ಯ.

Word by Word

• विभूतिः: glory; power; prosperity
• विभूतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सर्वलोकानाम्: of all worlds/people
• सर्वलोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वे लोकाः)

• सत्यादीनाम्: of truth and the like
• सत्यादीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; समाहारार्थे (satyādi = truth etc.)

• सुभङ्गुरा: very perishable; highly fragile
• सुभङ्गुरा: Karta qualifier (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + भङ्गुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (विभूतेः)

• अभङ्गुरा: imperishable; not fragile
• अभङ्गुरा: Karta qualifier (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + भङ्गुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (विभूतेः)

• विमुक्तस्य: of the liberated one
• विमुक्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-√मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘विमुक्त’ as substantive; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• लभ्या: obtainable
• लभ्या: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √लभ् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय; potential/passive gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘लभ्या’ = obtainable

• शिवाज्ञया: by Śiva’s command
• शिवाज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य आज्ञया)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic panorama of lokas with fading, crumbling splendor contrasted with a steady, unaging radiance around a liberated figure receiving Śiva’s command/blessing.

Characters & Entities

• Satya-loka
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Heavenly attainments are temporary; only liberation yields imperishable glory, gained through Śiva’s grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Avimukta/Kāśī context, where Śiva’s liberating authority is especially emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the teaching highlights śivājñā (Śiva’s sanction/grace) as decisive for liberation.