Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

हरकोपानले नूनं यदि यातः पतंगताम् । पितामहोपि मां त्रातुं तदा शक्ष्यति नस्फुटम्

Transliteration

harakopānale nūnaṃ yadi yātaḥ pataṃgatām | pitāmahopi māṃ trātuṃ tadā śakṣyati nasphuṭam

Translation

ଯଦି ମୁଁ ହରଙ୍କ କ୍ରୋଧାଗ୍ନିରେ ପତଙ୍ଗ ପରି ପଡ଼ିଯାଏ, ତେବେ ସେତେବେଳେ ପିତାମହ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ମଧ୍ୟ ମୋତେ ରକ୍ଷା କରିବାକୁ କଷ୍ଟେ ସମର୍ଥ ହେବେ।

Word by Word

• हरकोपानले: in the fire of Hara’s wrath
• हरकोपानले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर-कोप-अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरस्य कोपः → हरकोपः; हरकोपस्य अनलः → हरकोपानलः)

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (particle/adverb of certainty)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक-समुच्चय (conditional conjunction)

• यातः: having gone / having become
• यातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• पतंगताम्: the state of being a moth
• पतंगताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतंग-ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘-ताम्’ = ता-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक (state/condition)

• पितामहः: grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: even/also)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• त्रातुम्: to save
• त्रातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ (to do)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• शक्ष्यति: will be able
• शक्ष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/लृट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• स्फुटम्: clearly / indeed
• स्फुटम्: Sambandha (Adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुटम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्पष्टार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: clearly/indeed)

Speaker

Mārtaṇḍa (Sūrya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/speaker imagines being like a moth rushing into the blazing fire of Śiva’s anger; Śiva’s presence is implied as a terrifying, radiant force; Brahmā appears distant and powerless to intervene.

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Śiva)
• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Mārtaṇḍa (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s sovereignty is absolute; one should not rely on status or other powers when one has incurred divine displeasure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The overarching sacred domain is Kāśī, where Śiva’s lordship is especially foregrounded.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a theological metaphor underscoring the peril of offending Śiva.