Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

भगवान्स्वां सतीं भार्यां वधार्थं चापि तारकम् । सत्याश्च विरहात्तप्यन्ददाह किमसौ स्मरम्

Transliteration

bhagavānsvāṃ satīṃ bhāryāṃ vadhārthaṃ cāpi tārakam | satyāśca virahāttapyandadāha kimasau smaram

Translation

หรือว่าพระภควาน—เพื่อให้การปราบทารกะสำเร็จ และเพราะทรงเร่าร้อนด้วยทุกข์แห่งการพรากจากพระสตีผู้บริสุทธิ์—จึงทรงเผากามเทพ (สมร) เสีย?

Word by Word

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• svām: his own
• svām: Karman (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'own' (agreeing with satīm/bhāryām)

• satīm: Satī
• satīm: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bhāryām: wife
• bhāryām: Karman (Apposition to object/कर्म-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (satīm इत्यस्य समानााधिकरण)

• vadha-artham: for the slaying
• vadha-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष: 'for killing'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (प्रयोजन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (also/even)

• tārakam: Tāraka (demon)
• tārakam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• satyāḥ: of Satī
• satyāḥ: Sambandha (Source of separation/अपादान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• virahāt: from separation
• virahāt: Apadana (Cause/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• tapyan: being tormented
• tapyan: Karta (Concomitant action of subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present Active Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'being heated/tormented'

• dadāha: burned
• dadāha: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• kim: why? / what?
• kim: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• asau: that (one)
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• smaram: Smara (Kāma)
• smaram: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (context: dialogue continues; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa narrating within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Himālaya (tapas-bhūmi)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: devarṣi (respondent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arjuna’s pointed question visualized: Śiva, scorched by Satī’s separation and intent on Tāraka’s end, opens the third eye; Kāma (Smara) is reduced to ash, while the cosmos holds its breath.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Satī
• Tāraka
• Smara
• Kāmadeva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire (kāma) is subordinated to dharma and divine purpose; even cosmic events serve the restoration of order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a mythic-theological setup within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse frames the cause behind Kāma’s burning and the divine mission regarding Tāraka.