Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

परमात्मन्परंधाम स्वेच्छा विधृत विग्रह । कुतूहलं तवेशेदं क्व पराधीनतेश्वरे

Transliteration

paramātmanparaṃdhāma svecchā vidhṛta vigraha | kutūhalaṃ taveśedaṃ kva parādhīnateśvare

Translation

ഹേ പരമാത്മാ, ഹേ പരന്ധാമാ! സ്വേച്ഛയാൽ രൂപം ധരിക്കുന്ന ഹേ ഈശാ, നിന്റെ ഈ ‘കുതൂഹലം’ എന്ത്? സർവേശ്വരന് പരാധീനത എവിടെ?

Word by Word

• परमात्मन्: O Supreme Self
• परमात्मन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारय (Descriptive: 'supreme self'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• परंधाम: O Supreme Abode
• परंधाम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः कर्मधारय (Descriptive: 'supreme abode'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वेच्छा: by (your) own will
• स्वेच्छा: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (Determinative: 'one's own will'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विधृत: who has assumed/held
• विधृत: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विग्रह: form/body
• विग्रह: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुतूहलम्: curiosity/wonder
• कुतूहलम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईश: O Lord
• ईश: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Avyaya (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (Interrogative adverb)

• पराधीनता: dependence/subjection
• पराधीनता: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीनता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (Determinative: 'dependence on another'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईश्वरे: O Lord
• ईश्वरे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva (Īśa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage/devotee questions with folded hands before a serene Śiva; above, a subtle cosmic diagram: Śiva as paraṃ dhāma, with emanating worlds, indicating freedom to assume form; expression is calm inquiry, not doubt.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is portrayed as the fully independent Lord who assumes form by free will, beyond any external compulsion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the narrative setting of the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, where Śiva’s supreme lordship is especially celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is primarily theological, emphasizing Śiva’s sovereignty.