Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

त्वमेको द्वित्वमापन्नः शिवशक्तिप्रभेदतः । त्वं ज्ञानरूपो भगवान्स्वेच्छा शक्तिस्वरूपिणी

Transliteration

tvameko dvitvamāpannaḥ śivaśaktiprabhedataḥ | tvaṃ jñānarūpo bhagavānsvecchā śaktisvarūpiṇī

Translation

Obwohl Du Einer bist, erscheinst Du als zwei durch die Unterscheidung von Śiva und Śakti. Du, o seliger Herr, bist von der Natur des Bewusstseins und der Erkenntnis; und Deine Kraft ist die Gestalt Deines eigenen freien Willens.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• एकः: one
• एकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• द्वित्वम्: duality, state of two-ness
• द्वित्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आपन्नः: having attained, become
• आपन्नः: Pradhāna (Predicative complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपन्न (प्रातिपदिक) < आ + पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'having attained'

• शिव: of Shiva
• शिव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) (समास-पूर्वपद-सम्बन्धः), एकवचन

• शक्ति: of Shakti
• शक्ति: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) (समास-पूर्वपद-सम्बन्धः), एकवचन

• प्रभेदतः: due to the distinction
• प्रभेदतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb), अर्थ: प्रभेदेन/भेदकारणात् (due to distinction)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ज्ञान: knowledge
• ज्ञान: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समास-पूर्वपद (qualifying member)

• रूपः: form, nature
• रूपः: Pradhāna (Predicative complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समास-उत्तरपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्वेच्छा: one’s own will
• स्वेच्छा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: स्वा इच्छा (one’s own will)

• शक्ति: power
• शक्ति: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समास-पूर्वपद

• स्वरूपिणी: having the nature (of), embodying
• स्वरूपिणी: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वरूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक) < स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (शक्तेः)

Speaker

Pūtātmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A unified icon where Śiva and Śakti are shown as two aspects of one reality—either as Ardhanārīśvara symbolism or as two figures sharing a single aura—emphasizing consciousness and will as complementary.

Characters & Entities

• Pūtātmā
• Śiva
• Śakti
• Jñāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The One Reality expresses as Śiva-Śakti: consciousness and power are two aspects of a single divine essence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī context, reinforcing Kāśī as the seat of Śiva’s supreme doctrine and grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; it provides doctrinal grounding for worship that honors both Śiva and Śakti.