Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

सर्गात्पुरा भवानेको रूपनाम विवर्जितः । योगिनोपि न ते तत्त्वं विंदंति परमार्थतः

Transliteration

sargātpurā bhavāneko rūpanāma vivarjitaḥ | yoginopi na te tattvaṃ viṃdaṃti paramārthataḥ

Translation

Before creation, You alone existed, devoid of form and name. Even yogins do not truly know Your reality in its highest sense.

Word by Word

• सर्गात्: from creation (i.e., before creation)
• सर्गात्: Apādāna (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (from/before creation)

• पुरा: formerly, before
• पुरा: Kāla (Time adjunct/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: formerly/before)

• भवान्: you
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; आदरार्थक

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

• रूप: form
• रूप: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास-पूर्वपद

• नाम: name
• नाम: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास-उत्तरपद

• विवर्जितः: devoid (of)
• विवर्जितः: Pradhāna (Predicative complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक) < वि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अर्थ: रहितः/वर्जितः (devoid of)

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (enclitic)

• तत्त्वम्: true nature, reality
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विन्दन्ति: find, know
• विन्दन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; धातु: विद् (लभे/ज्ञाने)

• परमार्थतः: in ultimate truth
• परमार्थतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb), अर्थ: परमार्थेन/यथार्थतः (in the ultimate sense)

Speaker

Pūtātmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pre-creation void-like expanse with a subtle, luminous presence indicating the formless Lord; yogins in meditation at the edge of the scene, suggesting the limit of conceptual knowledge.

Characters & Entities

• Pūtātmā
• Śiva
• Yogins
• Creation (Sarga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme precedes all manifestation and remains beyond full conceptual grasp—even advanced yogic attainment has limits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī setting, such transcendence explains why the city is revered as Śiva’s unique abode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it emphasizes metaphysical contemplation alongside devotion.