Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

शिवभक्ताय शांताय विष्णुभक्तिपराय च । श्रद्धालवे त्वास्तिकाय गर्भवासमुपुक्षवे

Transliteration

śivabhaktāya śāṃtāya viṣṇubhaktiparāya ca | śraddhālave tvāstikāya garbhavāsamupukṣave

Translation

وهو لمحبّ شيفا، الساكن الطبع، وكذلك لمن جعل عبادته لفيشنو غايةً؛ لمن كان ذا إيمان، مؤمناً (آستيكا)، ولمن يتوق إلى التحرر من قيد الإقامة في الرحم (تكرار الميلاد).

Word by Word

• शिवभक्ताय: to a devotee of Śiva
• शिवभक्ताय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + भक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य भक्तः)

• शान्ताय: to the peaceful one
• शान्ताय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying the recipient)

• विष्णुभक्तिपराय: to one devoted to Viṣṇu-bhakti
• विष्णुभक्तिपराय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु-भक्ति-पर (प्रातिपदिक; विष्णु + भक्ति + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विष्णौ भक्तिः यस्य/विष्णुभक्तौ परः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• श्रद्धालवे: to the faithful one
• श्रद्धालवे: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: but/indeed)

• आस्तिकाय: to the believer (orthodox)
• आस्तिकाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आस्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• गर्भवासम्: (one who has experienced) dwelling in the womb
• गर्भवासम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गर्भे वासः)

• उपुक्षवे: to the one desiring/aspiring (to be freed)
• उपुक्षवे: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; उ-प्रत्ययान्त-शब्दः (desiderative/aspirant sense)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical Purāṇic frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene devotee seated on a clean ghat in Kāśī, mind stilled, holding rudrākṣa and tulasī mala together, facing the flowing Gaṅgā with distant Viśveśvara spire; the verse’s ‘eligibility’ is shown as inner calm and faith rather than spectacle.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Esoteric teachings are intended for the faithful and disciplined—those oriented to devotion and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā’s teaching-context in Kāśī; the verse focuses on the qualified recipient rather than a new location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A qualification rule: the forthcoming ‘rahasya’ should be given to a śraddhālu āstika devoted to Śiva (and also Viṣṇu).