Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

प्राह पंकजजन्मासौ शास्यस्ते कालभैरव । कालवद्राजसे साक्षात्कालराजस्ततो भवान्

Transliteration

prāha paṃkajajanmāsau śāsyaste kālabhairava | kālavadrājase sākṣātkālarājastato bhavān

Translation

Le Né du Lotus (Brahmā) dit : « Tu dois être le châtieur, ô Kālabhairava. Tu règnes tel le Temps lui-même ; ainsi es-tu véritablement le Roi du Temps. »

Word by Word

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अह्/आह् (धातु: अह्—वचने)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• पंकजजन्मा: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• पंकजजन्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पंकज (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पंकजस्य जन्म)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शास्यः: to be governed/controlled
• शास्यः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/अनीय/य-भाव: भविष्यत्कर्मणि/कर्तरि-योग्यतार्थक), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be ruled/controlled’

• ते: by you/your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कालभैरव: O Kālabhairava
• कालभैरव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालभैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कालः भैरवः)

• कालवत्: like Time
• कालवत्: Upamana (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (upamā-avyaya: ‘like’)

• राजसे: you rule
• राजसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; धातु-रूप (राज्—दीप्तौ/शासने) ‘you rule’

• साक्षात्: directly/in person
• साक्षात्: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• कालराजः: the king of Time
• कालराजः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कालस्य राजा)

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Logical link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (causal/consecutive adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• भवान्: you (hon.)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भवत्-शब्द (honorific pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrating Brahmā’s speech; deduced: Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā addresses Kālabhairava with formal authority, appointing him as chastiser; Kālabhairava stands vigilant, embodying time’s stern majesty; cosmic clock-like motifs or flowing sand/time imagery subtly surround him.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Kālabhairava
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhairava embodies the discipline of time—inescapable, impartial, and dharma-protecting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), where Kālabhairava is revered as the city’s kṣetrapāla (guardian).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it defines Kālabhairava’s authority and role.