Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

कर्पूरवर्तिदीपेन सकृद्दत्तेन भक्तितः । कर्पूरदेहगौरश्रीर्भवेद्भालविलोचनः

Transliteration

karpūravartidīpena sakṛddattena bhaktitaḥ | karpūradehagauraśrīrbhavedbhālavilocanaḥ

Translation

Wer, auch nur ein einziges Mal und in Hingabe, eine Lampe mit Kampferdocht darbringt (Viśveśvara in Kāśī), erlangt einen hellen, kampfergleichen Glanz des Leibes und eine glückverheißende Ausstrahlung, als trüge er ein göttliches Auge auf der Stirn.

Word by Word

• कर्पूरवर्ति-दीपेन: with a lamp having a camphor-wick
• कर्पूरवर्ति-दीपेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूरवर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्पूरवर्तेः दीपः)

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दत्तेन: by (it) having been given
• दत्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/through devotion’

• कर्पूर-देह-गौर-श्रीः: the splendor of a camphor-like fair body
• कर्पूर-देह-गौर-श्रीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक) + गौर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्पूरवत् देहः यस्य/यस्याः, तस्य गौरश्रीः)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भाल-विलोचनः: one who has an eye on the forehead (three-eyed)
• भाल-विलोचनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाल (प्रातिपदिक) + विलोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भाले विलोचनं यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī, Viśveśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers a single lamp with a camphor wick before Viśveśvara’s liṅga; the flame is bright white, casting a cool radiance on the sanctum while priests ring bells and wave ārati.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a single, sincere act of devotional offering in Kāśī—such as dīpa-dāna—purifies and illumines the devotee, yielding auspicious radiance and elevated spiritual standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), centered on the worship of Viśveśvara (Śiva).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering a lamp with a camphor wick (karpūra-varti-dīpa) with devotion, even once, to the Lord at Kāśī.