Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

मृत्युकालं विदित्वा च निमित्तैर्योगसाधकः । योगं युञ्जीत कालस्य वंचनार्थं समाहितः

Transliteration

mṛtyukālaṃ viditvā ca nimittairyogasādhakaḥ | yogaṃ yuñjīta kālasya vaṃcanārthaṃ samāhitaḥ

Translation

Hat der Yogapraktizierende durch Zeichen die Todeszeit erkannt, so soll er—im Geist gesammelt—Yoga üben, um die Zeit (den Tod) zu überlisten.

Word by Word

• मृत्युकालम्: the time of death
• मृत्युकालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मृत्योः कालः)

• विदित्वा: having known
• विदित्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विद् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• निमित्तैः: by signs/indications
• निमित्तैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• योगसाधकः: a practitioner of yoga
• योगसाधकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य साधकः)

• योगम्: yoga (practice)
• योगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• युञ्जीत: should engage/practice
• युञ्जीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्

• कालस्य: of time
• कालस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• वंचनार्थम्: for the purpose of deceiving/evading
• वंचनार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वञ्चन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वञ्चनाय अर्थः/अर्थम्); प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• समाहितः: collected/attentive
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → समाहित (प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin in deep meditation confronts the looming figure of Kāla/Mṛtyu; through inner radiance and steadiness, the shadow of death recedes—symbolizing mastery over fear and time.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla
• Mṛtyu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Awareness of mortality should intensify disciplined yoga, transforming fear of death into concentrated spiritual effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the passage is about yogic mastery over the fear and timing of death.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practice prescription: on perceiving death-signs, the yogin should intensify yoga with full concentration.