Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

एवं विज्ञापितस्तेन ह्युवाच परमेश्वरः । भक्षकोऽयं महाराज सर्वेषां प्राणिनामिह

Transliteration

evaṃ vijñāpitastena hyuvāca parameśvaraḥ | bhakṣako'yaṃ mahārāja sarveṣāṃ prāṇināmiha

Translation

അവന്റെ അപേക്ഷ കേട്ട് പരമേശ്വരൻ അരുളി—ഹേ മഹാരാജാ! ഇവൻ ഇവിടെ സകല ജീവികളുടെയും ഭക്ഷകനാണ്.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• विज्ञापितः: having been informed
• विज्ञापितः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु) → विज्ञापित (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त धातु (विज्ञापयति) का भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been informed/requested’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle of emphasis)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः ईश्वरः)

• भक्षकः: devourer
• भक्षकः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् राजा)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

Speaker

Parameśvara (Śiva/Rudra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks with calm authority, pointing out that the being is a devourer of living creatures; the king listens, startled yet steadied by the Lord’s certainty.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara (Śiva)
• Kāla
• Mahārāja (the king)
• Prāṇin (living beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāla devours all beings, yet Śiva—Parameśvara—stands above Kāla and reveals its role within cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra, where teachings on mortality and divine refuge are embedded in the site’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a doctrinal identification of Kāla’s function.