Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

समा यया महेशस्य मोहितो लोकसंभवः । अविज्ञाय परं भावमात्मानं प्राह वर्पिणम्

Transliteration

samā yayā maheśasya mohito lokasaṃbhavaḥ | avijñāya paraṃ bhāvamātmānaṃ prāha varpiṇam

Translation

Par cette même (māyā), égale en puissance d’illusion, le géniteur des mondes (Brahmā) fut égaré au sujet de Maheśvara. Ne connaissant pas l’état suprême, il parla de lui-même comme de l’Être incarné (suprême).

Word by Word

• samā: (that) illusion
• samā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samā (समा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘(that) delusion/illusion’ (contextual)

• yayā: by which
• yayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• maheśasya: of Maheśa
• maheśasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (महेश प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• mohitaḥ: deluded
• mohitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mohita (मोहित प्रातिपदिक; √muh)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि भाव (one who is deluded)

• loka-sambhavaḥ: the world-originator (Brahmā)
• loka-sambhavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka + sambhava (लोक + सम्भव प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य सम्भवः = ‘originator of the world’, i.e., Brahmā)

• avijñāya: not knowing
• avijñāya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-vi-√jñā (अ-वि-ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘not having known/realized’

• param: supreme
• param: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (पर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bhāvam: state / nature
• bhāvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (भाव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ātmānam: the Self
• ātmānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (अह् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• varpiṇam: the radiant one / embodied one
• varpiṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varpin (वर्पिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (contextual)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vipra/brāhmaṇa addressee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, radiant yet confused, stands before an overwhelming Maheśvara presence; māyā is depicted as a translucent veil or swirling cosmic mist causing misrecognition.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Brahmā (loka-sambhava)
• Māyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted cosmic offices can be veiled by māyā; humility and true knowledge are necessary to recognize the Supreme.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching frame; the verse supports the Śaiva doctrinal core that underlies Kāśī Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it warns against egoic claims and encourages tattva-jñāna.