Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

स काल इव कल्पांते यदा वासवमाद्रुतः । तं दृष्ट्वा सर्वभूतानि विविशुर्विह्वलानि तु

Transliteration

sa kāla iva kalpāṃte yadā vāsavamādrutaḥ | taṃ dṛṣṭvā sarvabhūtāni viviśurvihvalāni tu

Translation

Als er auf Vāsava zustürmte, glich er der Zeit (Kāla) selbst am Ende eines Kalpa. Bei seinem Anblick gerieten alle Wesen in Schrecken und Verwirrung und suchten Verstecke.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कालः: Time (Death)
• कालः: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• कल्पान्ते: at the end of an aeon
• कल्पान्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पान्त (प्रातिपदिक: कल्प + अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• वासवम्: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आद्रुतः: having rushed at / attacked
• आद्रुतः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + द्रु (धातु) → आद्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (past participle), क्त-प्रत्यय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (sense: ‘having rushed/attacked’)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विविशुः: entered, went into
• विविशुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विह्वलानि: bewildered, distressed
• विह्वलानि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier)

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/contrast)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying warrior rushes at Vāsava (Indra) with the aura of pralaya-Time; beings scatter and hide, faces contorted in fear; the sky darkens with ominous glow.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsava (Indra)
• Kālanemi (implied)
• Kāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly power can be eclipsed instantly; the awe of Kāla reminds beings to seek the timeless divine refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred geography is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a vivid simile within the battle narrative.