Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 133

Devanagari script

महाकालचरित्रं च तत्रैव समुपाययौ । महीसागर तोयेऽसौ स्नात्वा लिंगान्यथार्चयत्

Transliteration

mahākālacaritraṃ ca tatraiva samupāyayau | mahīsāgara toye'sau snātvā liṃgānyathārcayat

Translation

Er gelangte an eben jenen Ort, berühmt durch Mahākālas Taten. Nachdem er im Wasser des Erdozeans gebadet hatte, verehrte er sodann die Liṅgas in der rechten Ordnung.

Word by Word

• mahākāla-caritram: the story/deeds of Mahākāla
• mahākāla-caritram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahākāla (प्रातिपदिक) + caritra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahākālasya caritram)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• samupāyayau: approached/arrived
• samupāyayau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + i (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्+उप

• mahī-sāgaraḥ: the ocean (called) Mahīsāgara
• mahī-sāgaraḥ: Adhikarana (Context/place name/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahīyāḥ sāgaraḥ)

• toye: in the water
• toye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• asau: he
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive); अव्ययभाव

• liṅgāni: liṅgas (Śiva-emblems)
• liṅgāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन

• yathā: as/according to rule
• yathā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as/according to)

• arcayat: worshipped
• arcayat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-kṣetra tīrtha (sacred bathing waters)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king arrives at Mahākāla’s famed place, bathes in sacred waters, then proceeds to worship multiple liṅgas in ritual order.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• King Karaṁdhama
• Snāna
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-snāna followed by Liṅga-arcana is presented as an ideal dharmic sequence for accruing merit and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahākāla-associated sacred region, marked by revered waters and multiple Liṅgas for worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) in sacred waters and arcana (worship) of Liṅgas.