Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कामारिमर्धनारीशं वीक्ष्य कामकृतं किल । यो जिगाय कुमारोपि मारं तस्मै नमोस्तु ते

Transliteration

kāmārimardhanārīśaṃ vīkṣya kāmakṛtaṃ kila | yo jigāya kumāropi māraṃ tasmai namostu te

Translation

काम के शत्रु, अर्धनारीश्वर पर भी काम ने जो प्रभाव किया, उसे देखकर कुमार ने भी मारा को जीत लिया; उस विजयी आपको नमस्कार हो।

Word by Word

• कामारिमर्धनारीशम्: the lord who crushed Kāma’s enemy (i.e., Śiva) / the lord who crushed the enemy Kāma (contextual epithet)
• कामारिमर्धनारीशम्: Karma (Object of vīkṣya/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma-ari-mardana-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कामस्य अरिः = शिवः; तस्य मर्दनः; तस्य ईशः/स्वामी—अर्थे), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), परस्मैपद-धातु, अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (having seen)

• कामकृतम्: that which was done by Kāma
• कामकृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma-kṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ (कृ) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कामेन कृतम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Vacana-nuance (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/hearsay)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जिगाय: conquered
• जिगाय: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ji (जि)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• कुमारः: Kumāra (Skanda)
• कुमारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha-nuance (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (particle: also/even)

• मारम्: Māra (Kāma)
• मारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Pronoun), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Address (Salutation marker/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: नमः-शब्दः (salutatory particle)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Benedictive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-एकवचन (Dative/Genitive singular; enclitic), यहाँ चतुर्थी (to you)

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: Ardhanārīśvara stands serene yet the presence of Kāma’s influence is hinted by floral arrows; beside, Skanda stands victorious with spear, Māra subdued; Agastya salutes in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Skanda (Kumāra)
• Śiva (Kāmāri)
• Ardhanārīśvara
• Kāma
• Māra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire is a formidable force; spiritual victory is framed as conquering Māra—delusion and temptation—through divine strength and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse strengthens the devotional setting of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it is a theological praise emphasizing inner conquest.