Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

सगुणं वणर्भेदेन निर्गुणं केवलं मतम् । समंत्रं सगुणं विद्धि निर्गुणं मंत्रवर्जितम्

Transliteration

saguṇaṃ vaṇarbhedena nirguṇaṃ kevalaṃ matam | samaṃtraṃ saguṇaṃ viddhi nirguṇaṃ maṃtravarjitam

Translation

聖なる音節（varṇa）の区別によって、修法は「徳（性質）を具する」（サグナ）と理解され、「徳なき」（ニルグナ）は清浄にして孤絶なるものとされる。真言を伴うものをサグナと知れ。ニルグナとは真言を離れたものなり。

Word by Word

• स-गुणम्: with qualities
• स-गुणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वर्ण-भेदेन: by difference of syllables/letters
• वर्ण-भेदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणवाचक

• निर्गुणम्: without qualities
• निर्गुणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• केवलम्: only, mere
• केवलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मतम्: is considered
• मतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP) ‘thought/considered’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate adjective)

• स-मन्त्रम्: with mantra
• स-मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्मविधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स-गुणम्: as with qualities
• स-गुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(it) as saguṇa’

• विद्धि: know (you)
• विद्धि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निर्गुणम्: as without qualities
• निर्गुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(it) as nirguṇa’

• मन्त्र-वर्जितम्: devoid of mantra
• मन्त्र-वर्जितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘devoid of mantra’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-seeker/ṛṣi audience (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-sage in Kāśī explains two paths: on one side a deity-form with mantra syllables floating (varṇas), on the other a luminous formless void/sky symbolizing nirguṇa silence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It distinguishes mantra-supported (saguṇa) practice from mantra-free, attributeless (nirguṇa) realization, presenting a graded path of approach.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s praise of Kāśī, where both mantra and higher contemplation are presented as efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies a prescription by category: use mantra for saguṇa upāsanā; nirguṇa is characterized as mantra-less contemplation.