Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

अथायांतं महाकालं त्रिनेत्रं सर्पकुंडलम् । महादेवांशसंभूतं भैरवं भीषणाकृतिम्

Transliteration

athāyāṃtaṃ mahākālaṃ trinetraṃ sarpakuṃḍalam | mahādevāṃśasaṃbhūtaṃ bhairavaṃ bhīṣaṇākṛtim

Translation

Alors arriva Mahākāla : aux trois yeux, paré de boucles d’oreilles-serpents; Bhairava à l’aspect redoutable, né d’une part de Mahādeva.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तर (particle: 'then/now')

• आयान्तम्: coming, approaching
• आयान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ+या (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (the great Kāla)

• त्रिनेत्रम्: three-eyed
• त्रिनेत्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (three-eyed)

• सर्पकुण्डलम्: with serpent-earrings
• सर्पकुण्डलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्प + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (having serpent-earrings / with serpent as earrings)

• महादेवांशसम्भूतम्: born from a portion of Mahādeva
• महादेवांशसम्भूतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महादेव + अंश + सम्भूत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (born from the portion of Mahādeva)

• भैरवम्: Bhairava
• भैरवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• भीषणाकृतिम्: of dreadful form
• भीषणाकृतिम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (terrible form)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla/Bhairava (as kṣetra-pāla principle in Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sudden, overwhelming arrival: Mahākāla-Bhairava, three-eyed, with serpent earrings, radiating dark-blue/ash-white ferocity, emerges like a storm-front; attendants recoil in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Bhairava
• Mahādeva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine protection can appear formidable; Bhairava’s awe-inspiring form signifies the power that subdues fear and evil.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, Bhairava/Mahākāla are central protectors connected to Kāśī’s sacred order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse introduces the deity and his attributes.