Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ज्वालामालावृतं कालमीश्वरस्याग्रतः स्थितम् । लब्धसंज्ञस्तदा राजा कालं स्वं हंतुमागतम्

Transliteration

jvālāmālāvṛtaṃ kālamīśvarasyāgrataḥ sthitam | labdhasaṃjñastadā rājā kālaṃ svaṃ haṃtumāgatam

Translation

Vor dem Herrn stand Kāla (der Tod), umgeben von einer Flammengirlande. Als der König das Bewusstsein wiedererlangte, trat er vor, entschlossen, seinen eigenen Tod niederzustrecken.

Word by Word

• jvālā-mālā-āvṛtam: covered with a garland of flames
• jvālā-mālā-āvṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jvālā (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘covered by a garland/chain of flames’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; kālam qualifies

• kālam: Kāla
• kālam: Karma (Object/कर्म) — of dadarśa (implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• īśvarasya: of the Lord
• īśvarasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• agrataḥ: in front (of)
• agrataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• sthitam: standing/placed
• sthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; kālam qualifies

• labdha-saṃjñaḥ: having regained consciousness
• labdha-saṃjñaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha (कृदन्त) + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘having regained consciousness’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• kālam: Kāla
• kālam: Karma (Object/कर्म) — of hantum
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• svam: his own
• svam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; kālam qualifies

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थ (‘to kill’)

• āgatam: having come
• āgatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण) — of rājā (contextual)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-gam (धातु) → āgata (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; rājā (implied as object of seeing) / or predicate ‘having come’

Speaker

Narrator (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāla stands before Śiva wrapped in a flaming wreath; the king, newly conscious, steps forward with weapon raised, intending to strike his own Death.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Kāla
• Rājā (the king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva stands beyond Kāla; when the Lord intervenes, even death is rendered powerless before devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra) within the Kedārakhaṇḍa, celebrated as a place where Śiva’s grace overcomes fear and mortality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a narrative moment highlighting the Lord’s protection.