Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 79
Devanagari script
मत्वा कालक्षमं कार्यं कालनेमिर्महासुरः । आश्रित्य मानवीं मायां वितत्य च महावपुः
Transliteration
matvā kālakṣamaṃ kāryaṃ kālanemirmahāsuraḥ | āśritya mānavīṃ māyāṃ vitatya ca mahāvapuḥ
Translation
Judging it to be the right moment for action, the great Asura Kālanemi resorted to a human-like māyā and expanded into a gigantic form.
Word by Word
मत्वाhaving considered
मत्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootमन् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — 'having thought/considered'
कालक्षमम्timely
कालक्षमम्:
Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकालक्षम (प्रातिपदिक: काल + क्षम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'suitable for the time' (qualifying कार्यम्)
कार्यम्task
कार्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'task/thing to be done'
कालनेमिःKālanemi
कालनेमिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकालनेमि (प्रातिपदिक: काल + नेमि)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — proper name 'Kālanemi'
महासुरःgreat demon
महासुरः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहासुर (प्रातिपदिक: महा + असुर)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — 'great asura' (apposition to Kālanemi)
आश्रित्यhaving resorted to
आश्रित्य:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-श्रि (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — 'having resorted to/taken refuge in'
मानवीम्human
मानवीम्:
Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमानवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'human' (qualifying मायाम्)
मायाम्magic/illusion
मायाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमाया (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'illusion/magic'
वितत्यhaving expanded
वितत्य:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-तन् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) — 'having spread/expanded'
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)
महावपुःa huge form
महावपुः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमहावपुस् (प्रातिपदिक: महा + वपुस्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — 'great body/form' (object of implied 'assumed/created')
Speaker
Sūta (narrator)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Kālanemi, sensing the opportune moment, assumes a human-like guise that rapidly expands into a colossal, terrifying body; the transformation dominates the battlefield horizon.
Characters & Entities
K
KālanemiFAQs
Māyā can manipulate appearances; discernment is necessary to remain aligned with dharma amid deception.
No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.
None.