Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

नरो यो वानरारूढो यायात्प्राचीदिशं स्वपन् । दिनैः स पंचभिरेव पश्येत्संयमिनीं पुरीम्

Transliteration

naro yo vānarārūḍho yāyātprācīdiśaṃ svapan | dinaiḥ sa paṃcabhireva paśyetsaṃyaminīṃ purīm

Translation

സ്വപ്നത്തിൽ ഒരാൾ കുരങ്ങിൻമേൽ കയറി കിഴക്കുദിശയിലേക്ക് പോകുകയാണെങ്കിൽ, അവൻ വെറും അഞ്ചുദിവസത്തിനകം സംയമിനീ പുരി—യമന്റെ നഗരം—കാണും.

Word by Word

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत्

• वानरारूढः: mounted on a monkey
• वानरारूढः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वानर-आरूढ (प्रातिपदिक; वानर + आरूढ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'वानरे आरूढः' इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः; आरूढ = आ-रुह् (धातु) क्त

• यायात्: should go
• यायात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• प्राची: eastern
• प्राची: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'दिशम्' इति विशेषण

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वपन्: while dreaming
• स्वपन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'स्वपन्' = sleeping/dreaming

• दिनैः: within days
• दिनैः: Karana (Means/Measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; काल-परिमाणे तृतीया (within/by days)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पञ्चभिः: with five / by five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (Means/Measure)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (त्रिलिङ्ग), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'दिनैः' इति विशेषण

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• पश्येत्: should see
• पश्येत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• संयमिनीम्: Saṃyaminī (Yama’s city)
• संयमिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयमिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संयमिनी इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-mahātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dream tableau: the man rides a monkey, moving swiftly toward the eastern horizon; in five days’ shadow, the austere city of Saṃyaminī appears—high walls, stern gates—symbolizing Yama’s domain.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃyaminī (Yama’s city)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When ominous signs compress time, the teaching is to urgently anchor oneself in Śiva-bhakti and liberating remembrance rather than worldly delay.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s setting is Kāśī-khaṇḍa, which ultimately exalts Kāśī and Viśveśvara as the saving refuge even when Yama’s realm is near.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse functions as a warning sign that supports immediate sādhana and taking shelter in Kāśī.