Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85
अर्धांगेनास्मद्भयतो योषिदेका निगूहिता । तस्य ग्रामेपि सकले द्वितीयो न चतुष्पदः
ardhāṃgenāsmadbhayato yoṣidekā nigūhitā | tasya grāmepi sakale dvitīyo na catuṣpadaḥ
ومن خوفه منا أخفى امرأةً واحدة في نصف جسده؛ وفي قريته كلها لا يوجد حتى مخلوقٌ ثانٍ ذو أربع قوائم.
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context; describing a polemical/ironic portrayal)
Tirtha: Kailāsa-purī (referential)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Śiva as Ardhanārīśvara—half male ascetic, half female goddess—standing before a sparse settlement; Nandin as the lone bull; the scene framed as a boastful/mock comparison by opulent figures.
FAQs
The verse uses striking imagery to point to Śiva’s uniqueness—his life is beyond ordinary household norms, hinting at the mystery of Śiva-Śakti unity.
Kāśī is the underlying mahātmya setting, where Śiva’s exceptional nature and retinue are celebrated.
None; it is descriptive, contributing to the narrative praise/contrast typical of māhātmya passages.