Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

एवं कामाख्यया प्रोक्ता सा च कामकटंकटा । त्यक्त्वा क्रोधं च संवृत्य गात्राणि प्रणता च माम्

Transliteration

evaṃ kāmākhyayā proktā sā ca kāmakaṭaṃkaṭā | tyaktvā krodhaṃ ca saṃvṛtya gātrāṇi praṇatā ca mām

Translation

ഞാൻ ‘കാമാഖ്യാ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ, ആ കാമകടങ്കടാ ക്രോധം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച്, സ്വയം സംയമിച്ച്, അവയവങ്ങളെ നിയന്ത്രിച്ച്, ഭക്തിയോടെ എന്നെ പ്രണാമം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• kāmākhyayā: by (one) named Kāmā
• kāmākhyayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘काम-आख्या’ = named Kāma; करण/हेतु-भाव

• proktā: was spoken (to)/was addressed
• proktā: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prokta (कृदन्त; √vac (धातु) with pra-)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग: ‘was spoken/was addressed’

• sā: she
• sā: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• kāmakaṭaṃkaṭā: (she) Kāmakaṭaṃkaṭā (name)
• kāmakaṭaṃkaṭā: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṭaṃkaṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/नामधेय: ‘काम-काṭaṃkaṭā’ (proper name/epithet)

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tyaktvā (कृदन्त; √tyaj (धातु))
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• saṃvṛtya: having restrained/covered
• saṃvṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃvṛtya (कृदन्त; √vṛ (धातु) with sam-)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘covering/controlling’

• gātrāṇi: limbs/body
• gātrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• praṇatā: bowed down
• praṇatā: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇata (कृदन्त; √nam (धातु) with pra-)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (sā)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhāratarṣabha (contextual addressee in the passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic yet calming moment: a powerful female figure (Kāmakaṭaṃkaṭā) with fierce aspect softens, lowers her gaze, folds hands, and bows to the speaker; bodily restraint is emphasized (limbs drawn inward).

Characters & Entities

• Kāmākhyā
• Kāmakaṭaṃkaṭā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion begins with inner restraint—abandoning anger and bowing with humility.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The episode centers on Kāmākhyā and her sanctified locale (Kāmākhyā-kṣetra) within this Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on ethical discipline (krodha-nirodha) and reverential submission (praṇāma).