Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

नमस्ते धर्मरूपाय नमः सत्त्वगुणाय च । नमः सहस्रशिरसे पुरुषाय पराय च

Transliteration

namaste dharmarūpāya namaḥ sattvaguṇāya ca | namaḥ sahasraśirase puruṣāya parāya ca

Translation

Поклон Тебе, самому образу Дхармы; поклон Тебе, чистой саттве. Поклон Тысячеглавому Пуруше и Высшему, превосходящему всё.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — नमस्कारार्थकः; governs dative

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन — 'to you'

• धर्मरूपाय: to the embodiment of dharma
• धर्मरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to (him who is) the form of dharma'

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — नमस्कारार्थकः

• सत्त्वगुणाय: to the sattva-guṇa
• सत्त्वगुणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the sattva-quality' (as epithet)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — नमस्कारार्थकः

• सहस्रशिरसे: to the thousand-headed one
• सहस्रशिरसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the thousand-headed one'

• पुरुषाय: to the Supreme Person
• पुरुषाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the Person'

• पराय: to the supreme
• पराय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the supreme/ultimate'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene cosmic Puruṣa with thousand heads suggested symbolically; the deity radiates sattvic white-gold light, holding the balance of dharma; sages chant in a Kāśī setting near ghāṭas.

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa (Cosmic Person)
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma and purity are rooted in the Supreme; contemplating the cosmic Puruṣa elevates conduct and consciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī frames the discourse; the verse itself is metaphysical praise rather than site-specific.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; it supports contemplative worship and salutations.