Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

नमः कमलहस्ताय कमलावल्लभाय ते । नमो मत्स्यादिरूपाय नमः कौस्तुभवक्षसे

Transliteration

namaḥ kamalahastāya kamalāvallabhāya te | namo matsyādirūpāya namaḥ kaustubhavakṣase

Translation

कमलहस्त तुला नमस्कार; कमला (लक्ष्मी) वल्लभास नमस्कार। मत्स्यादि रूप धारण करणाऱ्यास नमस्कार; कौस्तुभमणि-शोभित वक्षस्थलास नमस्कार।

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• kamala-hastāya: to the lotus-handed one
• kamala-hastāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (dative singular)

• kamalā-vallabhāya: to the beloved of Kamalā (Lakṣmī)
• kamalā-vallabhāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamalā (प्रातिपदिक) + vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (dative singular)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान) / षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थ्यर्थे (to you)

• namo: obeisance
• namo: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• matsya-ādi-rūpāya: to the one whose forms begin with the Fish (incarnation)
• matsya-ādi-rūpāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: matsya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘आदि’ उपपद-समासार्थ (dative singular)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• kaustubha-vakṣase: to the one with Kaustubha on the chest
• kaustubha-vakṣase: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaustubha (प्रातिपदिक) + vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (vakṣas), चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (dative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu stands on a lotus, hands holding lotuses, Kaustubha jewel blazing on his chest; around him appear subtle vignettes of Matsya and other avatāras like a halo of stories; Lakṣmī nearby as Kamalā.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Lakṣmī (Kamalā)
• Matsya
• Kaustubha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The one Lord manifests many avatāras for protection; devotion recognizes His signs and attributes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching pilgrimage frame, though this verse itself is primarily theological praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; it supports stotra-recitation as devotional practice.