Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

दृष्टात्र वपुषः पाते द्वयोश्च सदृशी गतिः । तस्मात्सर्वविहायाशु सेव्यैषा मणिकर्णिका

Transliteration

dṛṣṭātra vapuṣaḥ pāte dvayośca sadṛśī gatiḥ | tasmātsarvavihāyāśu sevyaiṣā maṇikarṇikā

Translation

ที่นี่ประจักษ์ว่าเมื่อกายแตกดับแล้ว คติของทั้งสองย่อมเสมอกัน ดังนั้นจงละสิ่งอื่นทั้งหมด แล้วรีบไปเสาะหาและบำเพ็ญสักการะแด่มณิกรรณิกาโดยพลัน

Word by Word

• दृष्टा: is seen/observed
• दृष्टा: Kriya-visheshana (Predicative qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘seen/observed’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative adverb/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वपुषः: of the body
• वपुषः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• पाते: at the time of falling (death)
• पाते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; ‘in/at the fall’

• द्वयोः: of the two
• द्वयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, द्विवचन; ‘of the two’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सदृशी: similar; alike
• सदृशी: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘गतिः’)

• गतिः: course; destiny; movement
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Reason/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभूत-तद्धित/प्रयोग; अपादानार्थे (ablatival adverb)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘everything’

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having abandoned’

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of manner/time)

• सेव्या: should be served/visited
• सेव्या: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव्य (कृदन्त; √सेव् धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be served)

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मणिकर्णिका: Maṇikarṇikā
• मणिकर्णिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘एषा’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim turning away from worldly possessions toward the steps of Maṇikarṇikā; a faint image of a falling body (symbolic mortality) and a luminous path leading to the ghāṭ, indicating urgency and renunciation.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā
• Death (vapuṣaḥ pāta)
• Gati (posthumous destiny)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Since death equalizes worldly distinctions, one should prioritize the liberating refuge of the sacred tīrtha without delay.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An urgent prescription to ‘sevate’—to resort to/serve Maṇikarṇikā—implying tīrtha-sevā such as visiting, bathing, and devotional attendance.