Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

कालेकाले च रक्षामि त्वामेवाहं सदानुगः । न तां पश्यामि रक्षंतीं नत्वा यां स्तौषि भारत

Transliteration

kālekāle ca rakṣāmi tvāmevāhaṃ sadānugaḥ | na tāṃ paśyāmi rakṣaṃtīṃ natvā yāṃ stauṣi bhārata

Translation

At every time I protect you—I who ever follow at your side. Yet I do not see her protecting you, though you bow to her and praise her, O Bhārata.

Word by Word

• काले: at (a) time
• काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative of time)

• काले: at (each) time
• काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (kāle kāle = from time to time)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• रक्षामि: I protect
• रक्षामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• अनुगः: a follower/attendant
• अनुगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• ताम्: her/that (woman)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रक्षन्तीम्: protecting
• रक्षन्तीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ताम्)

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• याम्: whom
• याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (relative pronoun)

• स्तौषि: you praise
• स्तौषि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Deducted (contextual): Bhīma

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed figure)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guardian figure (Skanda-like, martial yet compassionate) stands beside a devotee addressed as ‘Bhārata’, gesturing in admonition: ‘I protect you always, yet you praise another protector.’ The devotee bows, conflicted, between two symbolic presences (true guardian vs. misconceived protectress).

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)
• A goddess/female deity (unnamed in this snippet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Balance devotion with discernment and gratitude—acknowledge the tangible protectors who serve you through dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bowing and praise (namaskāra and stuti) are implied, but no specific vrata, snāna, or dāna is given.