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

മഹാകാലന്റെ ഗണങ്ങൾ ആരാധിക്കുന്ന മഹാകാലേശ്വര ലിംഗത്തെ പൂജിച്ച്, നമസ്കരിച്ച്, സ്തുതിച്ചാൽ—കാലഭയം (മരണഭയം) എവിടെ നിന്ന് ഉണ്ടാകും?

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).