Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

कथं त्वया हि संदग्धः कामो हि दुरतिक्रमः । येन संघटितं विश्वमाब्रह्मस्थावरात्मकम्

Transliteration

kathaṃ tvayā hi saṃdagdhaḥ kāmo hi duratikramaḥ | yena saṃghaṭitaṃ viśvamābrahmasthāvarātmakam

Translation

Wie könntest du wahrlich Kāma verbrennen, der so schwer zu überwinden ist? Denn durch ihn wird dieses ganze Universum zusammengehalten, von Brahmā bis zu den unbeweglichen Wesen.

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• संदग्धः: burnt
• संदग्धः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + दह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• कामः: Kāma (desire)
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• दुरतिक्रमः: hard to overcome
• दुरतिक्रमः: Kriya-Complement (Predicate complement/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + अतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (दुर्गतः अतिक्रमः/दुरतिक्रमः = difficult to cross), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• येन: by whom/which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• संघटितम्: is put together/constructed
• संघटितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + घट् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विश्वम्: universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• आब्रह्मस्थावरात्मकम्: having the nature from Brahmā down to immovables
• आब्रह्मस्थावरात्मकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + ब्रह्म + स्थावर + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (आब्रह्म = ब्रह्मपर्यन्तम्) + कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (स्थावरात्मक = स्थावरस्य आत्मा/स्वभावः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages) addressing Śiva (Hara/Rudra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A debate-like moment: the speaker marvels at the paradox of Kāma being ‘burned’ though he binds the universe from Brahmā to immobile beings; cosmic hierarchy is evoked.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Kāma (Madana/Manmatha)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire is a powerful cosmic force; overcoming it requires divine mastery, symbolized by Śiva’s transcendent control.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in Kedārakhaṇḍa, connecting the narrative to the sacred Kedāra/Kedārnāth Himalayan sanctity, though this line itself is theological rather than descriptive.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this verse.