Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कामारिमर्धनारीशं वीक्ष्य कामकृतं किल । यो जिगाय कुमारोपि मारं तस्मै नमोस्तु ते

Transliteration

kāmārimardhanārīśaṃ vīkṣya kāmakṛtaṃ kila | yo jigāya kumāropi māraṃ tasmai namostu te

Translation

ولمّا رأى ما صنعته الشهوةُ حقًّا حتى بالربِّ قاتلِ كاما، ذي الهيئةِ نصفِ امرأة، غلبَ كُمارا أيضًا مارا؛ فلتكن لك التحيةُ والسجود، أيها الظافر.

Word by Word

• कामारिमर्धनारीशम्: the lord who crushed Kāma’s enemy (i.e., Śiva) / the lord who crushed the enemy Kāma (contextual epithet)
• कामारिमर्धनारीशम्: Karma (Object of vīkṣya/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma-ari-mardana-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कामस्य अरिः = शिवः; तस्य मर्दनः; तस्य ईशः/स्वामी—अर्थे), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), परस्मैपद-धातु, अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (having seen)

• कामकृतम्: that which was done by Kāma
• कामकृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma-kṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ (कृ) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कामेन कृतम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Vacana-nuance (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/hearsay)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जिगाय: conquered
• जिगाय: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ji (जि)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• कुमारः: Kumāra (Skanda)
• कुमारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha-nuance (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (particle: also/even)

• मारम्: Māra (Kāma)
• मारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Pronoun), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Address (Salutation marker/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: नमः-शब्दः (salutatory particle)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Benedictive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-एकवचन (Dative/Genitive singular; enclitic), यहाँ चतुर्थी (to you)

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: Ardhanārīśvara stands serene yet the presence of Kāma’s influence is hinted by floral arrows; beside, Skanda stands victorious with spear, Māra subdued; Agastya salutes in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Skanda (Kumāra)
• Śiva (Kāmāri)
• Ardhanārīśvara
• Kāma
• Māra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire is a formidable force; spiritual victory is framed as conquering Māra—delusion and temptation—through divine strength and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse strengthens the devotional setting of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it is a theological praise emphasizing inner conquest.