Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

धर्मवंशहरं काममर्थसंचयहारिणम् । जरापलितकर्तारं विनिष्कृत्य विचारतः

Transliteration

dharmavaṃśaharaṃ kāmamarthasaṃcayahāriṇam | jarāpalitakartāraṃ viniṣkṛtya vicārataḥ

Translation

—et, par un discernement limpide, ayant extirpé le désir qui ruine le dharma et la lignée, qui dérobe les richesses amassées et qui fait venir vieillesse et cheveux blancs—,

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).