Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

निराकारोपि साकारः शिव एव हि कारणम । मुक्तये भुक्तये वापि न शिवान्मोक्षदो परः

Transliteration

nirākāropi sākāraḥ śiva eva hi kāraṇama | muktaye bhuktaye vāpi na śivānmokṣado paraḥ

Translation

Obwohl Er gestaltlos ist, ist Er doch auch gestaltvoll; allein Śiva ist die wahre Ursache. Ob zur Befreiung oder zum weltlichen Genuss — niemand ist höher als Śiva, der Spender der Mokṣa.

Word by Word

• निराकारः: formless
• निराकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle)

• साकारः: with form
• साकारः: Samanaadhikarana/Predicate (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययार्थ) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• एव: alone; indeed
• एव: Emphasis (Avadharana/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारण-निपातः (restrictive particle)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थ-निपातः/समर्थकः (causal/emphatic particle)

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Samanaadhikarana/Predicate Noun (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विधेय (predicate noun)

• मुक्तये: for liberation
• मुक्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचनम्; प्रयोजन (dative of purpose)

• भुक्तये: for enjoyment
• भुक्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचनम्; प्रयोजन

• वा: or
• वा: Discourse particle (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; विकल्पार्थकः (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः (negation particle)

• शिवात्: than Śiva; from Śiva
• शिवात्: Apadana (Source/Comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचनम्; अपादान (ablative of comparison/source)

• मोक्षदः: giver of liberation
• मोक्षदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्तार्थ ‘दाता’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मोक्षं ददाति इति)

• परः: other; superior (another)
• परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (मोक्षदः परः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Viśveśvara (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split-vision: Śiva as aniconic boundless light (nirākāra) merging into a liṅga or anthropomorphic Śiva (sākāra). Devotees receive two streams—prosperity and liberation—yet the liberation stream is shown higher/brighter.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Mokṣa
• Bhukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All attainments—worldly and transcendent—culminate in Śiva’s grace; mokṣa is ultimately His gift.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s mokṣa-fame is reinforced: the Kāśī Khaṇḍa consistently presents Śiva as the liberator in this sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the emphasis is on devotion and reliance upon Śiva for bhukti and mukti.