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

«Paré d’ornements singuliers, aux cheveux emmêlés, orné d’un taureau, d’une vache et de serpents—comment a-t-il atteint l’état du Brahman suprême tout en demeurant entièrement sans attachement ?»

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.