Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कामाख्या कमलाक्षी च धृतिस्त्रिपुरतापनी । जया जयंती विजया जलेशी चापराजिता

Transliteration

kāmākhyā kamalākṣī ca dhṛtistripuratāpanī | jayā jayaṃtī vijayā jaleśī cāparājitā

Translation

“欲名女神（Kāmākhyā）、莲目女神（Kamalākṣī）、坚忍女神（Dhṛti）、焚净三城者（Tripuratāpanī）；胜利女神（Jayā）、凯旋女神（Jayaṃtī）、得胜女神（Vijayā）、水主女神（Jaleśī）、以及不败女神（Aparājitā）。”

Word by Word

• कामाख्या: Kāmākhyā
• कामाख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कामस्य आख्या/नाम)

• कमलाक्षी: Kamalākṣī (lotus-eyed)
• कमलाक्षी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (कमलानि अक्षीणी यस्याः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• धृतिः: Dhṛti (steadfastness)
• धृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रिपुरतापनी: Tripuratāpanī (scorcher of Tripura)
• त्रिपुरतापनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुर (प्रातिपदिक) + तापनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिपुरस्य तापनी)

• जया: Jayā
• जया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जयन्ती: Jayantī
• जयन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विजया: Vijayā
• विजया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जलेशी: Jaleśī (mistress of waters)
• जलेशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य ईशी)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अपराजिता: Aparājitā (the unconquered)
• अपराजिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + पराजिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासभावः (अ-पराजिता = undefeated)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of ten Devī-forms: Kāmākhyā enthroned with śrīcakra aura; Kamalākṣī holding lotus; Dhṛti calm with rosary; Tripuratāpanī with fiery halo; Jayā/Jayaṃtī/Vijayā in triumphant stance; Jaleśī rising from waves; Aparājitā with shield/lotus, unvanquished.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmākhyā
• Kamalākṣī
• Dhṛti
• Tripuratāpanī
• Jayā
• Jayaṃtī
• Vijayā
• Jaleśī
• Aparājitā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śakti is invoked as the source of steadfastness and victory—both inner (dhṛti) and outer (jayā/vijayā)—and as unconquerable divine refuge (aparājitā).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-khaṇḍa context frames the teaching, though the verse itself is a sequence of names rather than a tirtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the implied practice is devotional recitation of names.