Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

तत्सान्निध्याद्भैरवोपि कालोभूत्कालकालतः । स देवदेववाक्येन बिभ्रत्कापालिकं व्रतम्

Transliteration

tatsānnidhyādbhairavopi kālobhūtkālakālataḥ | sa devadevavākyena bibhratkāpālikaṃ vratam

Translation

ആ സാന്നിധ്യത്താൽ ഭൈരവനും ‘കാല’നായി—കാലത്തിനും കാലൻ, മരണത്തിനും മരണം. ദേവദേവന്റെ വാക്കനുസരിച്ച് അദ്ദേഹം കാപാലിക വ്രതം ധരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• तत्-सान्निध्यात्: from that proximity/presence
• तत्-सान्निध्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य सान्निध्यात्)

• भैरवः: Bhairava
• भैरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (also)

• कालः: Kāla (Time/Death personified)
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभूत्: became
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfective past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• काल-कालतः: from (being) the ‘Kāla of Kāla’
• काल-कालतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य कालः—‘Death of Death/Time of Time’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देव-देव-वाक्येन: by the word/command of the Lord of gods
• देव-देव-वाक्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (देवदेवस्य वाक्येन)

• बिभ्रत्: bearing, observing
• बिभ्रत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• कापालिकम्: Kāpālika (skull-bearing ascetic)
• कापालिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कापालिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (व्रतम्)

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (with Bhairava as kṣetrapāla)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame assumed; not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Through Śiva’s proximity, Bhairava becomes Kāla, the Death of Death; obeying the Deva-deva’s command, he bears the Kāpālika vow—skull-bowl, ascetic marks, fierce yet disciplined guardian presence.

Characters & Entities

• Bhairava
• Kāla
• Śiva
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s command transforms and consecrates: even fearsome powers are made instruments of dharma through vrata.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred sphere where Bhairava’s role and authority are established.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The Kāpālika-vrata (skull-bearing observance) is referenced as a Śaiva vow undertaken by Bhairava.