Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कंपःसात्त्विकभावोत्थो न भयात्क्वापि कस्यचित् । संज्वरः कामजो यत्र दारिद्र्यं कलुषस्य च

Transliteration

kaṃpaḥsāttvikabhāvottho na bhayātkvāpi kasyacit | saṃjvaraḥ kāmajo yatra dāridryaṃ kaluṣasya ca

Translation

Wo das Beben aus sattvischer Regung entspringt und nicht aus Furcht, bei jedwedem und überall; wo Fieber aus Begierde geboren wird; und wo Armut aus Unreinheit hervorgeht—das sind die seltsamen Zeichen, an denen man den inneren Zustand eines Reiches erkennt.

Word by Word

• kampaḥ: Trembling/Tremor
• kampaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kampa (कम्प)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• sāttvikabhāvotthaḥ: Born of Sattvika emotion (ecstasy)
• sāttvikabhāvotthaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāttvikabhāvottha (सात्त्विकभावोत्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• na: Not
• na: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Particle

• bhayāt: From fear
• bhayāt: Apadana (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (भय)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular

• kva: Where
• kva: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (क्व)
• Form: Adverb

• api: Even/At all
• api: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि)
• Form: Particle

• kasyacit: Of anyone
• kasyacit: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kimcit (किञ्चित्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• saṃjvaraḥ: Fever/Great heat
• saṃjvaraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjvara (सञ्ज्वर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• kāmajaḥ: Born of desire/love
• kāmajaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāmaja (कामज)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• yatra: Where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (यत्र)
• Form: Adverb

• dāridryam: Poverty/Scarcity
• dāridryam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāridrya (दारिद्र्य)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• kaluṣasya: Of sin/impurity
• kaluṣasya: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaluṣa (कलुष)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee near the Gaṅgā trembles with tears and goosebumps before a Śiva-liṅga (sāttvika-kampa), while shadowy figures behind show feverish restlessness driven by desire; a cleansing light washes away dark ‘kaluṣa’ clouds, revealing calm prosperity of spirit.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner states shape outer life: lust breeds affliction and impurity breeds lack; sattvic devotion, however, transforms the body-mind toward purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is indirectly glorified as the purifier of the inner condition that causes suffering.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is named; the verse aligns with the Mahātmya theme that sacred association and dharmic living purify desire and fear.