Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

पांसुराशि च वल्मीकं यूपदंडमथापि वा । योधिरोहति वै स्वप्ने स षष्ठे मासि नश्यति

Transliteration

pāṃsurāśi ca valmīkaṃ yūpadaṃḍamathāpi vā | yodhirohati vai svapne sa ṣaṣṭhe māsi naśyati

Translation

സ്വപ്നത്തിൽ ഒരാൾ പൊടിക്കൂമ്പാരം, വൽമീകം (ചീമപ്പുറ്റ്) അല്ലെങ്കിൽ യൂപദണ്ഡം (യജ്ഞസ്തംഭം) കയറുന്നതായി കണ്ടാൽ—അവൻ ആറാം മാസത്തിൽ നശിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• पांसुराशिम्: a heap of dust
• पांसुराशिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पांसु (प्रातिपदिक) + राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पांसोः राशि:)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction ‘and’)

• वल्मीकम्: an anthill
• वल्मीकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्मीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• यूपदण्डम्: a sacrificial post-staff
• यूपदण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूप (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यूपस्य दण्डः)

• अथ: then/further
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle ‘then/and further’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (or)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• अधिरोहति: climbs upon
• अधिरोहति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle ‘indeed’)

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• षष्ठे: in the sixth
• षष्ठे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (मासि)

• मासि: month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• नश्यति: perishes/dies
• नश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dreamer climbs a dusty mound, then an anthill, then a tall yūpa-post—each higher step framed as more ominous; the sky darkens as he ascends, suggesting the approach of fate.

Characters & Entities

• Yūpa (sacrificial post)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even symbols of worldly striving or ritual status are transient; prepare the soul rather than clinging to externals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse remains within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa doctrinal ambiance, oriented toward liberation in the sacred city of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it references a yūpa as an image within an omen-dream.