Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

शंभोः शक्तिरियं काशी काचित्सर्वैरगोचरा । शंभुरेव हि जानीयादेतस्याः परमं सुखम्

Transliteration

śaṃbhoḥ śaktiriyaṃ kāśī kācitsarvairagocarā | śaṃbhureva hi jānīyādetasyāḥ paramaṃ sukham

Translation

กาศีนี้แท้จริงคือศักติของพระศัมภู เป็นสิ่งที่เกินเอื้อมแก่คนทั้งปวง และความสุขสูงสุดของนางนั้น มีเพียงพระศัมภูเองเท่านั้นที่ทรงรู้โดยครบถ้วน

Word by Word

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शक्तिः: power; energy
• शक्तिः: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• काशी: Kāśī
• काशी: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समानााधिकरण (apposition)

• काचित्: some; a certain
• काचित्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिर्दिष्टा (some/indefinite) विशेषण (काशी)

• सर्वैः: by all (people)
• सर्वैः: Karaṇa/Agent-group (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अगोचरा: not accessible; beyond reach
• अगोचरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक (negated), विशेषण (काशी/शक्ति)

• शंभुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: alone; indeed
• एव: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (only/indeed)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Hetu/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक

• जानीयात्: should know; would know
• जानीयात्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• एतस्याः: of this (Kāśī)
• एतस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सुखम्)

• सुखम्: happiness; bliss
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrative voice (context: Skanda-Purāṇa Kāśī-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī as Śambhu-Śakti (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāśī personified as Śakti—subtle, radiant, beyond ordinary reach—while Śambhu alone comprehends her supreme bliss.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Śakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is not merely a city but a divine principle—Śiva’s own Śakti—whose bliss is ultimately known only to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), presented as an ineffable Śiva-Śakti kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is doctrinal, describing Kāśī’s transcendent nature and bliss.