Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

नमः शक्त्यर्धदेहाय विदेहाय सुदेहिने । सकृत्प्रणाममात्रेण देहिदेहनिवारिणे

Transliteration

namaḥ śaktyardhadehāya videhāya sudehine | sakṛtpraṇāmamātreṇa dehidehanivāriṇe

Translation

سلامٌ لِمَن نصفُ جسده شاكتي؛ ولِمَن لا جسدَ له، ومع ذلك يتجلّى بجسدٍ بهيّ. سلامٌ للربّ الذي بمجرد سجدةٍ واحدة يرفع عن ذوي الأجساد قيدَ الوجودِ المتجسّد.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थक-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शक्त्यर्धदेहाय: to him whose body is half (of) Śakti
• शक्त्यर्धदेहाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (whose body is half Śakti)

• विदेहाय: to the bodiless one
• विदेहाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (bodiless; beyond body)

• सुदेहिने: to the well-formed one
• सुदेहिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (well-bodied; having a fair form)

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/परिमाण-अव्यय (adverb: once)

• प्रणाममात्रेण: by mere prostration
• प्रणाममात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधनम् (by the mere act of bowing)

• देहिदेहनिवारिणे: to the remover of embodied existence
• देहिदेहनिवारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक) + निवारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि+वृ धातोः णिनि/इन्-प्रत्ययार्थक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (remover of the bodies/embodiment of beings; i.e., remover of embodied existence)

Speaker

Jaigīṣavya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience / ṛṣi audience (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ardhanārīśvara stands in luminous symmetry—half Śiva, half Śakti—while a devotee performs a full daṇḍavat praṇāma; the devotee’s body is shown dissolving into light, symbolizing release from embodied bondage.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śakti (Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-Śakti unity is affirmed, and sincere surrender—even once—can dissolve deep karmic bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied; the verse echoes Kāśī’s promise of swift spiritual release through devotion to Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (prostration) is highlighted as a potent devotional act with liberating merit.