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

Phải chăng Đức Thế Tôn—nhằm khiến Tāraka bị diệt trừ, lại bừng cháy vì nỗi ly biệt với người vợ trinh khiết Satī—nên đã thiêu đốt Kāma (Smara)?

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.