Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

किंतु सर्वगुणोपेतं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम् । संपूर्णनिर्मलकलं पातयेद्विधुवद्विधिः

Transliteration

kiṃtu sarvaguṇopetaṃ sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitam | saṃpūrṇanirmalakalaṃ pātayedvidhuvadvidhiḥ

Translation

Contudo, mesmo aquele que reúne todas as virtudes e é marcado por todos os sinais auspiciosos—inteiro e puro em cada parte—pode ser derrubado por um destino adverso, como a lua é rebaixada por seu curso prescrito.

Word by Word

• किंतु: but, however
• किंतु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंतु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अपवादार्थक (conjunction: but/however)

• सर्वगुणोपेतम्: endowed with all virtues
• सर्वगुणोपेतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त; इ/ए धातु with उप-; past participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः गुणैः उपेतम्)

• सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्: marked by all auspicious signs
• सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षित (कृदन्त; लक्ष् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वलक्षणैः लक्षितम्)

• संपूर्णनिर्मलकलम्: fully pure and complete in parts/beauty
• संपूर्णनिर्मलकलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संपूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक) + कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय-श्रृङ्खला: संपूर्णं निर्मलं कलं यस्य/यत्)

• पातयेत्: would cause to fall, would ruin
• पातयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) (णिच् causative: पातय-)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• विधुवत्: like the moon
• विधुवत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (adverbial: like the moon)

• विधिः: Fate, the Ordainer (Brahmā)
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (deduced from immediate context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage explaining to concerned listeners: even a flawless, radiant figure can be ‘brought down’ by vidhi, illustrated by the moon descending along its ordained path—moon imagery dominating the sky behind the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Vidhi (Fate/Ordinance)
• Vidhu (Moon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious signs and virtues do not remove the workings of destiny; therefore one should combine merit with vigilance and dharmic conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context glorifies Kāśī’s sacred narrative world, though this verse is a general teaching on fate rather than a tīrtha-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it offers a doctrinal caution about daiva (destiny).