Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

तथा कामेश्वरं देवं कामदेवप्रतिष्ठितम् । त्रयोदश्यां समाराध्य सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

tathā kāmeśvaraṃ devaṃ kāmadevapratiṣṭhitam | trayodaśyāṃ samārādhya sarvānkāmānavāpnuyāt

Translation

അതുപോലെ കാമദേവൻ പ്രതിഷ്ഠിച്ച കാമേശ്വരദേവനെ ത്രയോദശിദിനത്തിൽ വിധിപൂർവ്വം ആരാധിച്ചാൽ, ഒരാൾ എല്ലാ ഇഷ്ടകാമ്യഫലങ്ങളും പ്രാപിക്കും.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कामेश्वरम्: Kāmeśvara (Lord of desire)
• कामेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कामस्य ईश्वरः)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कामदेवप्रतिष्ठितम्: established by Kāmadeva
• कामदेवप्रतिष्ठितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामदेव + प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); प्रतिष्ठित < प्रति+स्था (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (कामदेवेन प्रतिष्ठितम्)

• त्रयोदश्याम्: on the thirteenth (lunar day)
• त्रयोदश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोदशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• समाराध्य: having duly worshipped
• समाराध्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+राध् (धातु) → समाराध्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having worshipped)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• अवाप्नुयात्: may obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Kārttikeya (Skanda) (deduced continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāmeśvara

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva-liṅga or anthropomorphic Kāmeśvara in a sanctum, with Kāmadeva depicted as the installer offering a garland; devotees worship on Trayodaśī with flowers, bilva, and lamps; a peacock-feather motif may hint at Skanda’s narration nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmeśvara
• Kāmadeva
• Trayodaśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire (kāma) is purified and fulfilled when sought through dharmic worship of the deity rather than through transgression.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The shrine/spot of Kāmeśvara associated with Kāmadeva’s installation, within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform focused worship (samārādhana) of Kāmeśvara on Trayodaśī for attainment of desired aims.