Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

दिवा च तारकाचक्रं रात्रौ व्योमवितारकम् । युगपच्च चतुर्दिक्षु शाक्रं कोदंडमंडलम्

Transliteration

divā ca tārakācakraṃ rātrau vyomavitārakam | yugapacca caturdikṣu śākraṃ kodaṃḍamaṃḍalam

Translation

പകൽ നക്ഷത്രചക്രം കാണപ്പെടുക, രാത്രിയിൽ ആകാശം അസ്വാഭാവികമായി നക്ഷത്രങ്ങളാൽ നിറയുക, കൂടാതെ നാലുദിക്കുകളിലും ഒരേസമയം ഇന്ദ്രധനുസ്സിന്റെ വൃത്തമണ്ഡലം ദർശിക്കപ്പെടുക—ഇവയെ ഇവിടെ അശുഭമായ ഉത്പാതലക്ഷണങ്ങളായി കരുതുന്നു।

Word by Word

• दिवा: by day, in daytime
• दिवा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक अव्यय/adverb of time)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तारका-चक्रम्: circle/cluster of stars
• तारका-चक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारका (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तारकाणां चक्रम्)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

• व्योम-वि-तारकम्: a star-like sign in the sky
• व्योम-वि-तारकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वि-तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (व्योम्नि वितारकम्/व्योमवितारकम् = आकाशे विशेषतारकवत्/तारकसम्बद्धम्)

• युगपत्: simultaneously
• युगपत्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: युगपत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुर्-दिक्षु: in the four directions
• चतुर्-दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (चतस्रः दिशः)

• शाक्रम्: Indra’s, belonging to Śakra
• शाक्रम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (शक्रसम्बन्धि/इन्द्रसम्बन्धि)

• कोदण्ड-मण्डलम्: a circular form like a bow (kodaṇḍa)
• कोदण्ड-मण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोदण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कोदण्डस्य मण्डलम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī pilgrim looks up: in daylight a wheel of stars appears; at night the sky is unnaturally crowded with stars; in all four directions a circular arc like Indra’s bow glows—an ominous, unseasonal celestial display over the ghats.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly life is fragile; dharma urges vigilance, detachment, and timely spiritual preparation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader discourse belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa (Vārāṇasī/Kāśī) milieu, where signs and spiritual readiness are discussed in a sacred-geography frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it lists nimittas (portents) as warnings.