Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

लीलात्मा गुणवानेष विचारादतिनिर्गुणः । कुर्वन्नपि हि कर्माणि बाध्यते नैव कर्मभिः

Transliteration

līlātmā guṇavāneṣa vicārādatinirguṇaḥ | kurvannapi hi karmāṇi bādhyate naiva karmabhiḥ

Translation

祂本是戏乐（Līlā）之体：似具诸德，然以真观照之，则至上超越一切三德（guṇa）。纵行诸业，亦不为业所缚。

Word by Word

• līlātmā: one whose nature is play (sportive-souled)
• līlātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (लीलायाः आत्मा/लीलात्मा)

• guṇavān: possessing qualities
• guṇavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vicārāt: from (true) discernment/consideration
• vicārāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vicāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ati-nirguṇaḥ: exceedingly beyond qualities
• ati-nirguṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + nirguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—कर्मधारय (अतिशयेन निर्गुणः)

• kurvan: doing
• kurvan: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्यय/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• api: even/although
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (concessive/also)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/indeed)

• karmāṇi: actions
• karmāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• bādhyate: is afflicted/obstructed
• bādhyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bādh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• eva: at all/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• karmabhiḥ: by actions
• karmabhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue tradition, Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Maheśvara seated in meditation while cosmic activity—creation, preservation, dissolution—unfolds around him like a play; devotees perform daily acts on the ghats, yet the Lord remains untouched.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord may appear active in the world, yet in truth remains untouched—teaching discernment (vicāra) and freedom from karmic bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) Mahātmya, where Śiva’s transcendence underwrites the sanctity and liberating power of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse emphasizes philosophical understanding of Śiva’s nirguṇa nature.