Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

शंभोः शक्तिरियं काशी काचित्सर्वैरगोचरा । शंभुरेव हि जानीयादेतस्याः परमं सुखम्

Transliteration

śaṃbhoḥ śaktiriyaṃ kāśī kācitsarvairagocarā | śaṃbhureva hi jānīyādetasyāḥ paramaṃ sukham

Translation

إن كاشي هذه هي حقًّا الشاكتي ذاتها، قوة شَمبهو، أمرٌ لا تناله العقول جميعًا. بل إن شَمبهو وحده يعرف تمامًا السعادة العظمى التي لها.

Word by Word

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शक्तिः: power; energy
• शक्तिः: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• काशी: Kāśī
• काशी: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समानााधिकरण (apposition)

• काचित्: some; a certain
• काचित्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिर्दिष्टा (some/indefinite) विशेषण (काशी)

• सर्वैः: by all (people)
• सर्वैः: Karaṇa/Agent-group (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अगोचरा: not accessible; beyond reach
• अगोचरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक (negated), विशेषण (काशी/शक्ति)

• शंभुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: alone; indeed
• एव: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (only/indeed)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Hetu/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक

• जानीयात्: should know; would know
• जानीयात्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• एतस्याः: of this (Kāśī)
• एतस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सुखम्)

• सुखम्: happiness; bliss
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrative voice (context: Skanda-Purāṇa Kāśī-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī as Śambhu-Śakti (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāśī personified as Śakti—subtle, radiant, beyond ordinary reach—while Śambhu alone comprehends her supreme bliss.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Śakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is not merely a city but a divine principle—Śiva’s own Śakti—whose bliss is ultimately known only to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), presented as an ineffable Śiva-Śakti kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is doctrinal, describing Kāśī’s transcendent nature and bliss.