Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 133

Devanagari script

महाकालचरित्रं च तत्रैव समुपाययौ । महीसागर तोयेऽसौ स्नात्वा लिंगान्यथार्चयत्

Transliteration

mahākālacaritraṃ ca tatraiva samupāyayau | mahīsāgara toye'sau snātvā liṃgānyathārcayat

Translation

वह महाकाल-चरित्र से प्रसिद्ध उसी स्थान पर पहुँचा। पृथ्वी-सागर के जल में स्नान करके उसने फिर क्रम से लिंगों की पूजा की।

Word by Word

• mahākāla-caritram: the story/deeds of Mahākāla
• mahākāla-caritram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahākāla (प्रातिपदिक) + caritra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahākālasya caritram)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• samupāyayau: approached/arrived
• samupāyayau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + i (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्+उप

• mahī-sāgaraḥ: the ocean (called) Mahīsāgara
• mahī-sāgaraḥ: Adhikarana (Context/place name/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahīyāḥ sāgaraḥ)

• toye: in the water
• toye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• asau: he
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive); अव्ययभाव

• liṅgāni: liṅgas (Śiva-emblems)
• liṅgāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन

• yathā: as/according to rule
• yathā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as/according to)

• arcayat: worshipped
• arcayat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-kṣetra tīrtha (sacred bathing waters)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king arrives at Mahākāla’s famed place, bathes in sacred waters, then proceeds to worship multiple liṅgas in ritual order.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• King Karaṁdhama
• Snāna
• Liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-snāna followed by Liṅga-arcana is presented as an ideal dharmic sequence for accruing merit and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahākāla-associated sacred region, marked by revered waters and multiple Liṅgas for worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) in sacred waters and arcana (worship) of Liṅgas.