Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

कालभीतिरुवाच । सर्वभूतेषु चेदेवं शिव एवेति चोच्यते । नास्तिकां मृत्तिका कस्माद्भक्षयंति नभस्यके

Transliteration

kālabhītiruvāca | sarvabhūteṣu cedevaṃ śiva eveti cocyate | nāstikāṃ mṛttikā kasmādbhakṣayaṃti nabhasyake

Translation

କାଳଭୀତି କହିଲେ—ଯଦି ସମସ୍ତ ଭୂତମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ‘ଶିବ ଏକମାତ୍ର’ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ, ତେବେ ନଭସ୍ୟ (ଭାଦ୍ରପଦ) ମାସରେ ମୃତ୍ତିକା କାହିଁକି ନାସ୍ତିକକୁ ‘ଭକ୍ଷ’ କରେ ଭଳି ପୀଡ଼ା ଦିଏ?

Word by Word

• कालभीतिः: Kālabhīti (name)
• कालभीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालभीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वभूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-निपात (conditional particle)

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

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• इति: thus (quoting)
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उच्यते: is said
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• नास्तिकाम्: the atheist woman (Nāstikā)
• नास्तिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नास्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मृत्तिका: clay/earth
• मृत्तिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कस्मात्: from what? why?
• कस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• भक्षयन्ति: eat/devour
• भक्षयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• नभस्यके: in Nabhasya (month/season)
• नभस्यके: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Kālabhīti

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A questioning devotee (Kālabhīti) stands before a serene Śaiva teacher in an āśrama; monsoon clouds suggest Bhādrapada. A clay bank/earth (mṛttikā) is shown as symbolically ‘consuming’ a skeptic, while Śiva’s all-pervading presence is hinted as a subtle aura in all beings.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Kālabhīti
• Nabhasya (Bhādrapada)
• Mṛttikā (clay/earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It raises a classic theological tension: if Śiva pervades all, how do karmic and ritual distinctions (pure/impure, believer/unbeliever) operate?

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse references a calendrical context (Nabhasya/Bhādrapada) rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly references month-based observances involving clay/earth (mṛttikā) in Nabhasya, but no explicit injunction is stated in this verse.