Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 141

Devanagari script

आयातो हि महाकालस्थारूपो महाबलः । कालरूपो महारौद्रो धनुष्पाणिः प्रतापवान्

Transliteration

āyāto hi mahākālasthārūpo mahābalaḥ | kālarūpo mahāraudro dhanuṣpāṇiḥ pratāpavān

Translation

Wahrlich, es erschien ein mächtiges Wesen in der Gestalt, die in Mahākāla verankert ist: die Verkörperung der Zeit, überaus furchterregend, den Bogen in der Hand, von Kraft strahlend.

Word by Word

• आयातः: having come, arrived
• आयातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-या (धातु) → आयात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• महाकालस्थारूपः: having the form of one dwelling in Mahākāla (i.e., Mahākāla-like form)
• महाकालस्थारूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकालस्थ + रूप (प्रातिपदिक); महा + काल + स्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुषः: महाकालस्थस्य रूपम्); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः: महत् बलं यस्य/महाबलः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कालरूपः: having the form of Time
• कालरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: कालस्य रूपम्); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महारौद्रः: very fierce
• महारौद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः: महत् रौद्रं यस्य); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• धनुष्पाणिः: bow-in-hand
• धनुष्पाणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धनुस् + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: धनुः पाणौ यस्य/धनुष्पाणिः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, radiant with power
• प्रतापवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रताप + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तद्धितान्त (वत्-प्रत्यय); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (within Sūta’s narration to the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages of Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame; not stated in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A colossal, wrathful, time-embodied figure associated with Mahākāla appears, bow in hand, radiating fierce splendor against a Himalayan sacred setting; attendants recoil in dread.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Kālarūpa (time-formed being)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At powerful Śaiva sites, divine forces connected with Mahākāla (Time) may manifest, inspiring reverence and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra Śaiva setting; Mahākāla is invoked as a cosmic Śaiva power associated with sacred presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse describes a theophany occurring during worship.