Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

कामेन हीयते विश्वं कामेन पाल्यते । कामेनोत्पद्यते विश्वं तस्मात्कामो महाबलः

Transliteration

kāmena hīyate viśvaṃ kāmena pālyate | kāmenotpadyate viśvaṃ tasmātkāmo mahābalaḥ

Translation

By Kāma (desire) the world wanes; by Kāma it is sustained; by Kāma the world is born—therefore Kāma is of immense power.

Word by Word

• कामेन: by desire
• कामेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• हीयते: diminishes/declines
• हीयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (परिणाम/क्षयार्थ)

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

• कामेन: by desire
• कामेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• पाल्यते: is protected/maintained
• पाल्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि-प्रयोग, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कामेन: by desire
• कामेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• उत्पद्यते: arises/is produced
• उत्पद्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana/Hetu (Ablative-cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति पञ्चमी-रूपेण हेत्वर्थक अव्ययप्रयोग (therefore/from that)

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

• महाबलः: very powerful
• महाबलः: Kriya-Complement (Predicate complement/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महद् बलं यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages) addressing Śiva (Hara/Rudra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tripartite cosmic panel: decline, sustenance, and birth of the world shown as waves driven by a single force—Kāma—depicted as immense, pervasive energy.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma (Madana/Manmatha)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāma (desire) drives worldly existence—birth, maintenance, and decay—so spiritual discipline must recognize its potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Set within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred geography (Kedāra region), though this verse primarily states a universal principle about kāma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement rather than a ritual instruction.