Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ज्वालामालावृतं कालमीश्वरस्याग्रतः स्थितम् । लब्धसंज्ञस्तदा राजा कालं स्वं हंतुमागतम्

Transliteration

jvālāmālāvṛtaṃ kālamīśvarasyāgrataḥ sthitam | labdhasaṃjñastadā rājā kālaṃ svaṃ haṃtumāgatam

Translation

ജ്വാലാമാലയാൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ട കാളൻ ഈശ്വരന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ നിന്നു. അപ്പോൾ ബോധം വീണ്ട രാജാവ് തന്റെ തന്നെ കാളനെ വധിക്കാനായി മുന്നോട്ട് വന്നു।

Word by Word

• jvālā-mālā-āvṛtam: covered with a garland of flames
• jvālā-mālā-āvṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jvālā (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘covered by a garland/chain of flames’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; kālam qualifies

• kālam: Kāla
• kālam: Karma (Object/कर्म) — of dadarśa (implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• īśvarasya: of the Lord
• īśvarasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• agrataḥ: in front (of)
• agrataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• sthitam: standing/placed
• sthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; kālam qualifies

• labdha-saṃjñaḥ: having regained consciousness
• labdha-saṃjñaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha (कृदन्त) + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘having regained consciousness’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• kālam: Kāla
• kālam: Karma (Object/कर्म) — of hantum
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• svam: his own
• svam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; kālam qualifies

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थ (‘to kill’)

• āgatam: having come
• āgatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण) — of rājā (contextual)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-gam (धातु) → āgata (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; rājā (implied as object of seeing) / or predicate ‘having come’

Speaker

Narrator (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāla stands before Śiva wrapped in a flaming wreath; the king, newly conscious, steps forward with weapon raised, intending to strike his own Death.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Kāla
• Rājā (the king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva stands beyond Kāla; when the Lord intervenes, even death is rendered powerless before devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra) within the Kedārakhaṇḍa, celebrated as a place where Śiva’s grace overcomes fear and mortality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a narrative moment highlighting the Lord’s protection.