Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

शिवशर्मेति संचिंत्य बुद्धिं संधाय सर्वतः । निश्चिकाय मनस्येवं भवेत्क्षेमतरं मम

Transliteration

śivaśarmeti saṃciṃtya buddhiṃ saṃdhāya sarvataḥ | niścikāya manasyevaṃ bhavetkṣemataraṃ mama

Translation

Размышляя о «покровительстве и благом уделе Шивы» и собрав ум со всех сторон, я решил в сердце: «Так будет для меня безопаснее и благоприятнее».

Word by Word

• शिव-शर्म: ‘Śiva-śarma’ (auspicious welfare/comfort; as a notion/name)
• शिव-शर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + शर्मन्/शर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शिवं शर्म यस्मिन्/शिवं शर्म = auspicious comfort)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक अव्यय

• संचिन्त्य: having thought over
• संचिन्त्य: Kriyā (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having reflected’

• बुद्धिम्: intellect/resolve
• बुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संधाय: having fixed (it)
• संधाय: Kriyā (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having fixed/placed (mind)’

• सर्वतः: from all sides/entirely
• सर्वतः: Adverbial (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशाबोधक/पर्यायबोधक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• निश्चिकाय: decided/determined
• निश्चिकाय: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्+चि (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मनसि: in (his) mind
• मनसि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Adverbial (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb)

• भवेत्: may be/would be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• क्षेमतरम्: more secure/better
• क्षेमतरम्: Karma (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• मम: for me/of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya; inner resolve described)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim sits on a ghat at dawn, eyes closed, hands in añjali, mentally repeating ‘Śivaśarma’; swirling distractions (symbols of senses) gather and dissolve into a calm aura shaped like a liṅga or trident.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Collecting the mind and taking refuge in Śiva is portrayed as the most secure course amid life’s uncertainty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī Śaiva milieu is implied—Kāśī as Śiva’s city where taking Śiva as refuge is especially fitting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription of sankalpa: mental consolidation and Śiva-centered resolve, preceding outward pilgrimage or rites.