Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अमुक्तितः कामनया रूपं तत्तामसं तव । सुखबुद्ध्या स्पृहा या च रूपं तद्राजसं तव

Transliteration

amuktitaḥ kāmanayā rūpaṃ tattāmasaṃ tava | sukhabuddhyā spṛhā yā ca rūpaṃ tadrājasaṃ tava

Translation

അമുക്തി (ബന്ധനബുദ്ധി)യിൽ നിന്നുയരുന്ന കാമന നിന്റെ താമസരൂപം. സുഖബുദ്ധിയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള സ്പൃഹ നിന്റെ രാജസരൂപം.

Word by Word

• अमुक्तितः: from non-liberation; from lack of release
• अमुक्तितः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादानार्थ (ablative: from)

• कामनया: by/through desire
• कामनया: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrument/cause)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• तामसम्: tamasic
• तामसम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• सुखबुद्ध्या: by the notion of pleasure; with pleasure-mindedness
• सुखबुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुखबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक: सुख + बुद्धि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpurusha: ‘सुखस्य बुद्धिः’); करण/हेतु

• स्पृहा: longing; craving
• स्पृहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पृहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (subject)

• या: which
• या: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

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

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश

• राजसम्: rajasic
• राजसम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

Speaker

Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted inner-states personified: tamasic Manmatha emerging from a shadowy net of bondage, and rajasic Manmatha amid glittering pleasures and restless motion; the speaker points out the distinction.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Manmatha (Kāma)
• Guṇas (tamas, rajas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire rooted in bondage is tamasic, while pleasure-seeking craving is rajasic; discernment begins by diagnosing the motive behind longing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named; the verse is a moral-psychological classification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it defines inner tendencies rather than external rites.