Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

महाघोरे कालरात्रि घंटालि विकटोज्वले । सततं सप्तमीपूज्ये नेत्रदे शरणं भव

Transliteration

mahāghore kālarātri ghaṃṭāli vikaṭojvale | satataṃ saptamīpūjye netrade śaraṇaṃ bhava

Translation

ഹേ മഹാഘോരേ കാലരാത്രീ, ഘണ്ടാമാലാധാരിണീ, വികടോജ്വലേ! സദാ സപ്തമിയിൽ പൂജ്യയായ നേത്രദായിനീ—എനിക്ക് ശരണം ആകണമേ.

Word by Word

• महाघोरे: O very terrible one
• महाघोरे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; महाघोरा इति कर्मधारय

• कालरात्रि: O Kālarātri (night of Time)
• कालरात्रि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कालस्य रात्रिः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• घंटालि: O cluster/garland of bells
• घंटालि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + आलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; घण्टानाम् आलिः/समूहः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• विकटोज्वले: O fiercely blazing one
• विकटोज्वले: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; विकट-उज्वला इति कर्मधारय

• सततम्: always
• सततम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सततम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• सप्तमीपूज्ये: O one worshipped on the seventh (day)
• सप्तमीपूज्ये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक) + पूज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पूज् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; सप्तम्यां पूज्या इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (उपपद)

• नेत्रदे: O giver of eyes/vision
• नेत्रदे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; दा (धातु) + क)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; नेत्रं ददाति इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; क्रियापूरक (predicate complement)

• भव: become / be
• भव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

A Pāṇḍava devotee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kālarātri blazes in a dark night: fierce yet protective, wearing a garland of bells, eyes like fire; devotees seek refuge, praying for restored sight/insight on Saptamī.

Characters & Entities

• Kālarātri
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The terrifying yet compassionate Goddess is invoked as the ultimate refuge who grants protection and divine vision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears; the focus is on the Devi’s form and her Saptamī worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship on Saptamī (the seventh lunar day) is referenced as a regular devotional observance.