Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

धर्मवंशहरं काममर्थसंचयहारिणम् । जरापलितकर्तारं विनिष्कृत्य विचारतः

Transliteration

dharmavaṃśaharaṃ kāmamarthasaṃcayahāriṇam | jarāpalitakartāraṃ viniṣkṛtya vicārataḥ

Translation

—und indem du durch klares Unterscheiden das Begehren ausmerzt, das Dharma und Geschlecht zerstört, gehorteten Reichtum raubt und Alter samt grauem Haar hervorbringt—,

Word by Word

• धर्मवंशहरम्: destroying the lineage of dharma
• धर्मवंशहरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + वंश + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (धर्मस्य वंशस्य हरः = destroyer of dharma-lineage); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kāmam)

• कामम्: desire; lust
• कामम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अर्थसंचयहारिणम्: stealing away amassed wealth
• अर्थसंचयहारिणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थ + संचय + हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (अर्थस्य संचयस्य हारिन् = remover of accumulated wealth); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kāmam)

• जरापलितकर्तारम्: causing old age and grey hair
• जरापलितकर्तारम्: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरा + पलित + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (जरायाः पलितस्य कर्ता = maker of old age and grey hair); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kāmam)

• विनिष्कृत्य: having removed; having driven out
• विनिष्कृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-निष्-कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), अर्थः—निष्कास्य/अपकृष्य (having removed/expelled)

• विचारतः: by deliberation; thoughtfully
• विचारतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = विचारतः (by reflection/after deliberation)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A discerning ascetic in Kāśī holds a lamp of viveka; Kāma appears as a charming archer whose arrows turn into chains; behind him, images of broken households and scattered coins; in the background, Śiva’s calm presence signifies mastery over desire.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma
• Dharma
• Artha
• Jarā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked desire erodes dharma and stability; discerning renunciation protects spiritual progress and prepares one for liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the instruction is embedded in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s broader glorification of Kāśī as a place where liberation-oriented virtues are cultivated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the prescription is vicāra (discriminative reflection) leading to kāma-tyāga (abandonment of desire).