Is the passive of Sacred Shears meant for the equipment or for the unit which holds it?

The Deathknell ability on Sacred Shears is meant for the unit equipped with it, not the equipment itself.

According to RiftJudge FAQ #8441:

• When Sacred Shears is equipped, its Effect Text (the bottom box containing the Deathknell ability) is appended to the unit's rules text.
• The unit gains the Deathknell ability, not the gear itself.
• Therefore, the ability triggers when the unit dies, allowing you to draw a card. If the gear itself is killed in isolation (e.g., by a card effect like Salvage), the Deathknell does not trigger because the gear is no longer attached to a unit, meaning the Effect Text is no longer active.

This is consistent with the general rule for equipment: Effect Text on gear is only active while the gear is attached to a unit, at which point it functions as part of that unit's text.