Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

कमलाक्षी क्लमहरा कृशानुतपनद्युतिः । करुणार्द्रा च कल्याणी कलिकल्मषनाशिनी

Transliteration

kamalākṣī klamaharā kṛśānutapanadyutiḥ | karuṇārdrā ca kalyāṇī kalikalmaṣanāśinī

Translation

ഹേ കമലാക്ഷീ ദേവീ! നീ ക്ഷീണം-ക്ലമം അകറ്റുന്നവൾ, അഗ്നിയുടെയും സൂര്യന്റെ താപത്തിന്റെയും പോലെ ദീപ്തിമതി. കരുണയിൽ ആർദ്ര, സദാ കല്യാണമയി, കലിയുഗപാപ-കല്മഷനാശിനി.

Word by Word

• कमलाक्षी: lotus-eyed
• कमलाक्षी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कमल + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कमलम् इव अक्षिणी यस्याः)

• क्लमहरा: remover of fatigue
• क्लमहरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लम + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (क्लमं हरति इति)

• कृशानुतपनद्युतिः: having the radiance of fire and sun
• कृशानुतपनद्युतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृशानु + तपन + द्युति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कृशानु-तपनयोः द्युतिः इव)

• करुणार्द्रा: moistened with compassion; compassionate
• करुणार्द्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुणा + आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (करुणया आर्द्रा)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कल्याणी: auspicious
• कल्याणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्याणिन्/कल्याणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कलि: Kali (age of strife)
• कलि: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपद; प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• कल्मष: sin, impurity
• कल्मष: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (object sense) समासाङ्ग (कलिकल्मष)

• नाशिनी: destroyer (of Kali’s sins)
• नाशिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √नश् धातु-सम्बद्ध)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास (कलिकल्मषस्य नाशिनी)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lotus-eyed Devī in Kāśī, glowing like sun and fire, extending compassion to weary pilgrims; a subtle aura washing away dark Kali-age stains around the ghāṭas.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Kali-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali-yuga, the Goddess’s compassion is a direct purifier, removing fatigue, sorrow, and sin through devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting implies Kāśī’s special efficacy for purification, harmonizing with Devī’s role as remover of Kali’s stains.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the emphasis is on divine grace accessed through praise and remembrance.