Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कालाग्निरुद्रो भगवान्कदाचिद्विश्ववंदितः । समाससाद भूतेशः स्वेच्छया परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

kālāgnirudro bhagavānkadācidviśvavaṃditaḥ | samāsasāda bhūteśaḥ svecchayā parameśvaraḥ

Translation

Zu einer gewissen Zeit kam der selige Kālāgnirudra, von der ganzen Welt verehrt, aus eigenem Willen dorthin: der Höchste Herr, der Gebieter aller Wesen.

Word by Word

• कालाग्निरुद्रः: Rudra (as the fire of Time)
• कालाग्निरुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कालाग्निः इव/कालाग्निसदृशः रुद्रः)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• विश्ववंदितः: worshipped by the world
• विश्ववंदितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वन्दित (कृदन्त; √वन्द् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विश्वेन वन्दितः)

• समाससाद: approached, came near
• समाससाद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भूतेशः: Lord of beings
• भूतेशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् ईशः)

• स्वेच्छया: by his own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य इच्छा)

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (परमः ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Vāmadeva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast, undefined sacred expanse where Kālāgnirudra appears by his own will—radiant, ash-smeared, with matted locks and a halo like smoldering fire; the atmosphere trembles with reverence as beings sense the Supreme Lord’s arrival.

Characters & Entities

• Vāmadeva
• Kālāgnirudra
• Rudra
• Parameśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme Lord is free and sovereign, manifesting by his own will for the ordering and blessing of the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Mount Mandara, presented as the locus for Śiva’s manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates a divine advent.