Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 177

Devanagari script

तान्महेशमुखान्सर्वान्महाकालो महामतिः । अर्चयामास बहुधा भक्त्युद्रेकातिपूरितः

Transliteration

tānmaheśamukhānsarvānmahākālo mahāmatiḥ | arcayāmāsa bahudhā bhaktyudrekātipūritaḥ

Translation

Alors Mahākāla, l’âme magnanime, les vénéra tous—Maheśa et les autres—de maintes façons, débordant d’un élan de bhakti.

Word by Word

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• महेशमुखान्: having Maheśa at the head (headed by Maheśa)
• महेशमुखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेश + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—महेशः मुखं येषां ते (बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थे प्रयोगः, परन्तु रूपतः तत्पुरुष-निर्माण)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महान् कालः (कर्मधारय)

• महामतिः: the great-minded one
• महामतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महती मतिः यस्य सः (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-भावे विशेषण)

• अर्चयामास: worshipped
• अर्चयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative-भाव (अर्चयति इति)

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'in many ways/many times')

• भक्त्युद्रेकातिपूरितः: filled with an excess surge of devotion
• भक्त्युद्रेकातिपूरितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति + उद्रेक + अति + पूरित (कृदन्त; √पॄ/पूर्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त—पूरित (क्त); समासः—भक्तेः उद्रेकः तस्य अति- (अत्यधिकता) तेन पूरितः (तत्पुरुष-समास-समूह)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahākāla, radiant and composed, performs elaborate worship to Maheśa and the assembled divinities—offering flowers, incense, lamps—while sages and celestial musicians look on.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Maheśa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion expresses itself through reverent worship; bhakti is portrayed as the force that sanctifies all actions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahākāla’s sacred domain is implied; the verse reinforces the devotional culture centered on Mahākāla.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā/arcana (worship) is highlighted broadly—honoring the divine in multiple modes with heartfelt devotion.