Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

तैजसी शांभवी मूर्तिः प्रत्यक्षा दहनात्मिका । कर्त्री हंत्री पालयित्री विनैनां किं विलोक्यते

Transliteration

taijasī śāṃbhavī mūrtiḥ pratyakṣā dahanātmikā | kartrī haṃtrī pālayitrī vinaināṃ kiṃ vilokyate

Translation

此光辉之形即是商婆毗（Śāmbhavī）——湿婆自身的临在——在眼前显现为燃烧之火的本质。她为作者、毁灭者、守护者；离开她，又有何可见、可知？

Word by Word

• taijasī: luminous, fiery
• taijasī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: taijasī (प्रातिपदिक) < tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• śāṃbhavī: belonging to Śambhu (Śiva), Śaiva
• śāṃbhavī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāṃbhavī (प्रातिपदिक) < śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• mūrtiḥ: form, embodiment
• mūrtiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• pratyakṣā: manifest, directly perceptible
• pratyakṣā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• dahanātmikā: having the nature of burning
• dahanātmikā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dahana (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dahanasya ātmā/ātmikā) = ‘of the nature of burning’

• kartrī: doer, maker
• kartrī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tṛ (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ-शब्दः (agent noun)

• haṃtrī: slayer, destroyer
• haṃtrī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: han (धातु) + tṛ (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → hantrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम

• pālayitrī: protector, preserver
• pālayitrī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāl (धातु) + itṛ (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → pālayitrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha/Upapada (governing relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपातः/पूर्वपद-प्रयोगः; ‘without’ (takes accusative)

• enām: her/this (f.)
• enām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → enā (प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• vilokyate: is seen, is beheld
• vilokyate: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + lok (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants), contextually explaining to Śivaśarman

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant, fire-essence Śāmbhavī presence—seen as living flame—standing as the tri-functional power (creation-destruction-protection) while devotees gaze in reverent astonishment.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śambhu)
• Śāmbhavī (Śiva-Śakti)
• Agni (Fire)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All perception and cosmic functions—creation, protection, and dissolution—are expressions of Śiva’s manifest power (Śakti), here revealed as sacred fire.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa and supports the Kāśī Māhātmya theme: Kāśī as the place where Śiva’s presence is directly manifest.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed in this verse; it establishes the theological basis for reverence to Agni as Śiva’s visible power.