Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

प्रासादध्वजभंगोयस्त्वयैक्षत निशाक्षये । राज्यक्षयकरं विद्धि महोत्पाताय निश्चितम्

Transliteration

prāsādadhvajabhaṃgoyastvayaikṣata niśākṣaye | rājyakṣayakaraṃ viddhi mahotpātāya niścitam

Translation

رات کے اختتام پر تم نے جو محل کا جھنڈا ٹوٹتے دیکھا، اسے سلطنت کے زوال کا سبب جانو؛ یہ بڑی آفت کا یقینی شگون ہے۔

Word by Word

• प्रासाद: palace
• प्रासाद: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); masculine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• ध्वज: banner, flag
• ध्वज: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); masculine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• भंगः: the breaking (of the palace flag)
• भंगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular; समासः: प्रासाद-ध्वज-भंग (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: 'palace-flag breaking')

• यः: which/that (which)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun, masculine, nominative singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; pronoun, instrumental singular

• ऐक्षत: was seen / appeared
• ऐक्षत: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; imperfect, 3rd person singular, middle

• निशा: night
• निशा: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); feminine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• अक्षये: at night’s end (at dawn)
• अक्षये: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; masculine, locative singular; समासः: निशा-अक्षय (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: 'at the end of night')

• राज्य: kingdom, rule
• राज्य: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); neuter, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• क्षय: loss, destruction
• क्षय: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); masculine, nominative/accusative singular (compound member); समासः: राज्य-क्षय (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'loss of kingdom')

• करम्: causing (the) destruction
• करम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (णिच्/कर्तरि-प्रत्यय -कर), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjectival derivative 'causing', neuter nom/acc sg; समासः: राज्य-क्षय-कर

• विद्धि: know (it), understand
• विद्धि: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; imperative, 2nd person singular, active

• महत्: great
• महत्: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग); neuter, nominative/accusative singular (compound member)

• उत्पाताय: for a great portent
• उत्पाताय: Sampradāna (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; masculine, dative singular; समासः: महा-उत्पात (कर्मधारय: 'great portent')

• निश्चितम्: determined, certain
• निश्चितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-चित् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle, neuter nom/acc sg

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the last watch of night, a palace banner snaps and falls; courtiers freeze; the king’s face pales; the city’s lamps flicker as the omen is recognized as certain calamity.

Characters & Entities

• Palace (prāsāda)
• Dhvaja (royal banner)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Symbols of sovereignty breaking indicate weakened protection; a ruler must restore righteousness and stability before collapse spreads.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-khaṇḍa backdrop is sacred Kāśī, but this verse is focused on royal omens rather than pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is given; the verse identifies a ‘mahotpāta’ (major portent).