Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

एभिः सर्वं प्रचंडं च राशिभिरुडुभिस्तथा । कालचक्रान्वितः कालः क्रीडयन्सृजते जगत्

Transliteration

ebhiḥ sarvaṃ pracaṃḍaṃ ca rāśibhiruḍubhistathā | kālacakrānvitaḥ kālaḥ krīḍayansṛjate jagat

Translation

Mit all dem —durch die Tierkreiszeichen und die Sterne (Nakṣatras)— erschafft die Zeit, vereint mit dem Rad der Zeit, gleichsam spielerisch das Universum in all seiner gewaltigen Vielfalt.

Word by Word

• एभिः: by these
• एभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रचण्डम्: mighty, intense
• प्रचण्डम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रचण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of सर्वम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• राशिभिः: by the rāśis (zodiac signs)
• राशिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• उडुभिः: by the stars/constellations
• उडुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उडु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

• कालचक्र-अन्वितः: endowed with the wheel of time
• कालचक्र-अन्वितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालचक्र + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; अन्वित from अन्वि/इ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of कालः)

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रीडयन्: playing, sporting
• क्रीडयन्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while playing)

• सृजते: creates
• सृजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ (sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast cosmic panorama: a rotating Wheel of Time studded with zodiac and star-lights; from its turning, worlds and beings emerge in powerful variety, suggesting creation as a grand, playful unfolding.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla
• Kālacakra
• Rāśi
• Nakṣatra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time is not inert; it is the active cosmic force through which creation unfolds according to order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The discourse is embedded in Kedārakhaṇḍa (Kedāra-kṣetra), though the verse itself is universal in scope.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it underlines why rites follow calendrical structures governed by Kāla.