Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

विटंकवेशो जटिलो वृषगोव्यालभूषणः । परं ब्रह्मत्वमापन्नः क्व च तत्संगवर्जितम्

Transliteration

viṭaṃkaveśo jaṭilo vṛṣagovyālabhūṣaṇaḥ | paraṃ brahmatvamāpannaḥ kva ca tatsaṃgavarjitam

Translation

„Mit wunderlichen Zierden, mit verfilztem Haar, geschmückt mit Stier, Kuh und Schlangen—wie hat er den Zustand des höchsten Brahman erlangt und ist doch völlig frei von Anhaftung geblieben?“

Word by Word

• विṭaṃka-veśaḥ: one whose attire is (like) a viṭaṃka/ornamental headgear
• विṭaṃka-veśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विṭaṃka (प्रातिपदिक) + veśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विṭaṃkasya veśaḥ)

• जटिलः: matted-haired
• जटिलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वृष-गो-व्याल-भूषणः: one adorned with bull, cow, and serpent (ornaments)
• वृष-गो-व्याल-भूषणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + go (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāla (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (वृषगोव्यालैः भूषणः/वृषगोव्यालभूषणः)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्मत्वम्: the state of Brahmanhood
• ब्रह्मत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + -tva (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त

• आपन्नः: having attained
• आपन्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√pad (धातु) (आपन्न—कृदन्त, क्त/क्तवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे; ‘आपन्नः’ = प्राप्तः

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Sambandha/Avyaya (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• तत्-संग-वर्जितम्: devoid of that association
• तत्-संग-वर्जितम्: Karma/Predicate (Object or predicative complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + saṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य संगः तेन वर्जितम् / तत्संगेन वर्जितम्)

Speaker

Two ritual-focused interlocutors in the narrative (implied; not explicitly named)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembly of sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two interlocutors gaze upon Śiva’s paradoxical appearance—matted locks, serpents, bull and cow emblems—voicing a philosophical doubt about how such a form can be Supreme Brahman yet free of attachment.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahman
• Bull (Vṛṣa/Nandin motif)
• Serpents (Vyāla)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True realization is compatible with unconventional outer forms; the mark of the Supreme is inner freedom from attachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Set within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, supporting the Śaiva vision central to Kāśī Māhātmya; no specific site is named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is theological reflection on Śiva’s nature and detachment.