Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

मायया मां महादेव नच्छादयितुमर्हसि । नाभीकमलकोशात्तु कोटिशः कमलासनान्

Transliteration

māyayā māṃ mahādeva nacchādayitumarhasi | nābhīkamalakośāttu koṭiśaḥ kamalāsanān

Translation

«Ô Mahādeva, tu ne dois pas me voiler par la māyā. De la gaine du lotus à mon nombril surgissent, âge après âge, d’innombrables Brahmā assis sur des lotus».

Word by Word

• मायया: by (your) māyā
• मायया: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (‘महान् देवः’)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• आच्छादयितुम्: to cover
• आच्छादयितुम्: प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + छद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), धातु: आच्छादय् (णिच्) < आ+छद्; अर्थ: ‘आवरणे’

• अर्हसि: you ought / you are fit
• अर्हसि: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नाभीकमलकोशात्: from the sheath of the navel-lotus
• नाभीकमलकोशात्: अपादान (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (‘नाभ्याः कमलस्य कोशः’ → ‘नाभीकमलकोश’)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: समुच्चय/विरोधसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• कोटिशः: in crores; countless
• कोटिशः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तद्धितान्त-प्रयोगवत् अव्यय (adverb of multiplicity) ‘कोटि-शस्’

• कमलासनान्: lotus-seated (Brahmās)
• कमलासनान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (‘कमले आसनं यस्य’—रूढ्या ब्रह्माणः)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A speaker addresses Mahādeva: ‘Do not veil me with māyā’; behind the words, a visionary tableau of a cosmic navel-lotus from which innumerable lotus-seated Brahmās arise across ages.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Mahādeva)
• Brahmā (kamalāsana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic creators are subject to the Lord’s māyā; the verse highlights Śiva’s transcendence over the powers governing manifestation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as the theological backdrop of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa; this verse focuses more on cosmology than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is doctrinal dialogue about māyā and cosmic emanation.