Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23
सत्यं चापि श्रुतेर्वाक्यं तव रूपं त्रिधागतम् । तामसं राजसं चैव सात्त्विकं चापि मन्मथ
satyaṃ cāpi śrutervākyaṃ tava rūpaṃ tridhāgatam | tāmasaṃ rājasaṃ caiva sāttvikaṃ cāpi manmatha
श्रुतीचे वचन खरोखरच सत्य आहे—हे मन्मथ! तुझे रूप त्रिविध आहे: तामस, राजस आणि सात्त्विक।
Indra
Scene: A contemplative dialogue where Manmatha is addressed as embodying three guṇa-colored forms—dark (tamas), red/golden (rajas), and luminous white (sattva)—with a sage-like speaker citing śruti.
FAQs
Desire manifests according to the three guṇas; ethical and spiritual outcomes depend on which quality predominates.
No site is praised in this verse; it is a guṇa-based classification within the narrative.
None; it introduces a doctrinal framework (three guṇas) for understanding kāma.