Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

महाकालेश्वरं लिंगं महाकालगणार्चितम् । अर्चयित्वा च नत्वा च स्तुत्वा कालभयं कुतः

Transliteration

mahākāleśvaraṃ liṃgaṃ mahākālagaṇārcitam | arcayitvā ca natvā ca stutvā kālabhayaṃ kutaḥ

Translation

Après avoir vénéré le liṅga de Mahākāleśvara—honoré par les gaṇas de Mahākāla—et après s’être prosterné et l’avoir loué, d’où pourrait naître la crainte du Temps (la mort) ?

Word by Word

• महाकालेश्वरम्: Mahākāleśvara
• महाकालेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महाकालस्य ईश्वरः)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाकालगण: Mahākāla’s gaṇa
• महाकालगण: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महाकालस्य गणः)

• अर्चितम्: worshipped
• अर्चितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु) → अर्चित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘लिङ्गम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अर्चयित्वा: having worshipped
• अर्चयित्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु) → अर्चयित्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); णिच्-प्रयोग (causative stem arcay-); अर्थः—पूजयित्वा

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नम् (धातु) → नत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); अर्थः—नमस्कृत्य

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्तु (धातु) → स्तुत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); अर्थः—स्तवनं कृत्वा

• कालभयम्: fear of Time/death
• कालभयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कालस्य भयम्)

• कुतः: whence? how (could it be)?
• कुतः: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक (whence/how)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāleśvara (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce-yet-benevolent Mahākāla liṅga shrine lit by deep lamps; gaṇas of Mahākāla stand guard; a devotee offers flowers, bows, and sings hymns as a shadowy figure of ‘Time’ retreats.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāleśvara
• Mahākāla
• Gaṇas
• Kāla (Time/Death)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Mahākāleśvara transforms one’s relationship with time and death, removing kāla-bhaya through Śiva-bhakti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahākāleśvara-liṅga in Kāśī (as presented in this Kāśīkhaṇḍa context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (worship), namaskāra (bowing), and stuti (praise/hymn).