Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

कामतीर्थांबु संस्नानाद्यास्यंति विलयं क्षणात् । कामाः समृद्धिमाप्स्यंति कामेश्वर निषेवणात्

Transliteration

kāmatīrthāṃbu saṃsnānādyāsyaṃti vilayaṃ kṣaṇāt | kāmāḥ samṛddhimāpsyaṃti kāmeśvara niṣevaṇāt

Translation

沐浴于迦摩圣渡（Kāmatīrtha）之水，诸苦恼刹那消融；虔诚侍奉迦摩自在天（Kāmeśvara），所愿所求皆得圆满昌盛。

Word by Word

• कामतीर्थाम्बु: water of Kāma-tīrtha
• कामतीर्थाम्बु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कामतीर्थस्य अम्बु)

• संस्नानात्: from bathing
• संस्नानात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्नान (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘संस्नान’ = स्नान (bathing)

• यास्यन्ति: will go/attain
• यास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विलयम्: dissolution, disappearance
• विलयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• क्षणात्: in a moment
• क्षणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; अवधी-अर्थे (within/from a moment)

• कामाः: desires
• कामाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• समृद्धिम्: prosperity, fulfillment
• समृद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आप्स्यन्ति: will obtain
• आप्स्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कामेश्वर: O Kāmeśvara
• कामेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• निषेवणात्: from worship/attendance
• निषेवणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषेवण (प्रातिपदिक; √सेव् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘निषेवण’ = सेवा/उपासना (attendance, worship)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāmatīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-seeking audience (contextually sages/devotees)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims bathe at a small sacred water-body (Kāmatīrtha) near Kāmeśvara shrine; the devotee emerges serene while the liṅga is adorned with bilva, flowers, and lamps, suggesting immediate dissolution of affliction and blossoming of aims.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmatīrtha
• Kāmeśvara
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tīrthas and Śiva’s liṅga-worship are presented as swift means for purification and the righteous fulfillment of life’s aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāmatīrtha in Kāśī, along with the presence of Kāmeśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) in Kāmatīrtha and niṣevaṇa (devout worship/service) of Kāmeśvara.