Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

नमो वेदांतवेद्याय नमः श्रीवत्सधारिणे । नमो गुणस्वरूपाय गुणिने गुणवर्जिते

Transliteration

namo vedāṃtavedyāya namaḥ śrīvatsadhāriṇe | namo guṇasvarūpāya guṇine guṇavarjite

Translation

വേദാന്തത്തിൽ അറിയപ്പെടുന്ന പ്രഭുവേ, നമസ്കാരം; ശ്രീവത്സചിഹ്നധാരിയേ, നമസ്കാരം. ഗുണസ്വരൂപനേ, നമസ്കാരം; ഗുണാധീശനേ, നമസ്കാരം—ഗുണാതീതനേയും നമസ്കാരം.

Word by Word

• namo: obeisance
• namo: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• vedānta-vedyāya: to the one knowable through Vedānta
• vedānta-vedyāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vedānta (प्रातिपदिक) + vedya (√vid, धातु; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; विशेषण (dative singular masculine adjective: ‘knowable by Vedānta’)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• śrīvatsa-dhāriṇe: to the bearer of Śrīvatsa
• śrīvatsa-dhāriṇe: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīvatsa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (dative singular)

• namo: obeisance
• namo: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• guṇa-svarūpāya: to the one whose nature is (all) qualities
• guṇa-svarūpāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (dative singular)

• guṇine: to the possessor of qualities
• guṇine: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; विशेषण (dative singular masculine adjective: ‘possessing qualities’)

• guṇa-varjite: O one devoid of (material) qualities
• guṇa-varjite: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (√vṛj/√varj, धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; विशेषण (vocative singular masculine adjective: ‘devoid of qualities’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Viṣṇu with Śrīvatsa mark, surrounded by subtle, translucent strands representing the three guṇas dissolving into a clear, luminous space; a sage in Kāśī contemplates Vedānta near the Gaṅgā.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vedānta
• Śrīvatsa
• Guṇas (sattva/rajas/tamas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine is both immanent (within qualities) and transcendent (beyond qualities), approachable through Vedānta and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the narrative sacred geography; this verse focuses on metaphysical praise rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is contemplative praise suited for mantra-like repetition.