Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अनित्यनित्यरूपाय सदसत्पतये नमः । समस्तभक्तकृपया स्वेच्छाविष्कृतविग्रह

Transliteration

anityanityarūpāya sadasatpataye namaḥ | samastabhaktakṛpayā svecchāviṣkṛtavigraha

Translation

Salutations to Him who appears as both the transient and the eternal; salutations to the Lord of being and non-being. Out of compassion for all devotees, He manifests a form by His own free will.

Word by Word

• अनित्य-नित्य-रूपाय: to (him) whose form is both transient and eternal
• अनित्य-नित्य-रूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (अनित्यं च नित्यं च) + रूप

• सत्-असत्-पतये: to the lord of being and non-being
• सत्-असत्-पतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + असत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (सत् च असत् च) + पति

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात), नमस्कारार्थक

• समस्त-भक्त-कृपया: by compassion toward all devotees
• समस्त-भक्त-कृपया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (समस्तानां भक्तानां कृपा)

• स्व-इच्छा-विष्कृत-विग्रह: (he) whose form is manifested by his own will
• स्व-इच्छा-विष्कृत-विग्रह: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्कृत (कृदन्त; वि√कृ (धातु) क्त) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वेच्छया विष्कृतः विग्रहः)

Speaker

Devas (gods), continuing the hymn

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims in the frame narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate deity emerging as a chosen form from an unbounded, formless light—devotees of varied types (ascetic, householder, pilgrim) receive grace on the Gaṅgā ghāṭa in Kāśī; the scene balances transcendence and intimacy.

Characters & Entities

• Bhakta (devotee)
• Īśvara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord transcends opposites (eternal/temporary, manifest/unmanifest) yet compassionately assumes form for devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-khaṇḍa setting frames the teaching within Kāśī’s sanctity, though the verse itself is universal theology.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it supports devotional worship (bhakti) through praise and remembrance.