Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 137

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा च लिंगप्रवरं महाकालमुपासदत् । ततो रुद्रवचः स्मृत्वा महाकालः स्मयन्निव

Transliteration

śrutvā ca liṃgapravaraṃ mahākālamupāsadat | tato rudravacaḥ smṛtvā mahākālaḥ smayanniva

Translation

Having heard that Mahākāla is foremost among the Liṅgas, he approached to worship. Then, recalling Rudra’s words, Mahākāla seemed, as it were, to smile.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: श्रु (to hear)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• लिङ्ग-प्रवरम्: the excellent liṅga
• लिङ्ग-प्रवरम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य प्रवरम्)

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उप-आसदत्: approached
• उप-आसदत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: उप-

• ततः: then
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तदर्थ-काल/अनन्तरबोधक (then/thereafter)

• रुद्र-वचः: Rudra’s words
• रुद्र-वचः: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रुद्रस्य वचः)

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: स्मृ (to remember)

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्मयन्: smiling
• स्मयन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मि (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: स्मि (to smile)

• इव: as if
• इव: उपमा-सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla (Mahākāleśvara)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/king, having heard Mahākāla’s pre-eminence among liṅgas, approaches the sanctum; the liṅga’s presence is rendered as subtly smiling, as if remembering Rudra’s promise.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Rudra
• Liṅga-pravara
• Worship (upāsanā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching the supreme Liṅga with faith invites divine grace—often depicted as a responsive, living presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahākāla Liṅga-sthala, praised as foremost among Liṅgas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upāsanā—approaching and worshipping Mahākāla as the liṅga-pravara.