Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कामो मनोभवो विश्वः कुसुमायुधचापभृत् । स कामान् ददाति सर्वान् पूजितो मीनकेतनः

Transliteration

kāmo manobhavo viśvaḥ kusumāyudhacāpabhṛt | sa kāmān dadāti sarvān pūjito mīnaketanaḥ

Translation

کام دیو—جو ذہن سے پیدا ہوا، ہر جگہ موجود ہے، پھولوں کا ہتھیار اور کمان رکھتا ہے—جب مین کیتن کے طور پر پوجا جاتا ہے، تو ہر خواہش پوری کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• कामः: Kāma
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मनोभवः: Mind-born (epithet of Kāma)
• मनोभवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्-भव (प्रातिपदिक; मनस् + भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कामस्य उपनाम

• विश्वः: all-pervading; universal
• विश्वः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (कामः इति)

• कुसुमायुधचापभृत्: bearer of a bow and weapons of flowers
• कुसुमायुधचापभृत्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम-आयुध-चाप-भृत् (प्रातिपदिक; कुसुम + आयुध + चाप + भृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः, कामस्य उपनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (कामान् इति)

• पूजितः: when worshipped; being worshipped
• पूजितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मीनकेतनः: Mīnaketana (whose banner has a fish)
• मीनकेतनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मीन-केतन (प्रातिपदिक; मीन + केतन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कामस्य उपनाम

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing the tīrtha/deity narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kusumeśvara (associated Kāma worship as Mīnaketana)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāma as Mīnaketana—banner marked with fish—holding a sugarcane/flower bow and floral arrows, receiving offerings; devotees pray for boons amid a riverside sacred grove.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma
• Manobhava
• Mīnaketana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire is not merely indulgence in Purāṇic dharma; when approached through worship and reverence, it is regulated and can yield lawful aims (kāmya-phala).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) region context continues; the verse specifically highlights Kāma’s worship in connection with the Kusumeśvara narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (worship) of Kāma/Mīnaketana is indicated as the means to obtain desired boons.