Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 131

Devanagari script

महाकालोऽपि मुदितस्तत्र तेपे महत्तपः

Transliteration

mahākālo'pi muditastatra tepe mahattapaḥ

Translation

Mahākāla também, jubiloso, praticou ali uma austeridade intensíssima.

Word by Word

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular; कर्मधारय (महान् कालः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• मुदितः: joyful
• मुदितः: विशेषण (Qualifier of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदित (प्रातिपदिक; √मुद्-आनन्दे क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Past participle used adjectivally

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — performed austerity

• महत्: great
• महत्: विशेषण (Qualifier of कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Adjective agreeing with तपः

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahākāla sits in meditation near the shrine or by the sacred waters, body steady, eyes half-closed, surrounded by quiet lamps and winter air; the atmosphere conveys delighted resolve rather than grimness.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine forms exemplify tapas, teaching that spiritual power and grace are anchored in disciplined austerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘there’ refers to the Mahākāla sacred locale associated with the Mahākāla Liṅga tradition in this narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as the key practice, without detailing a specific vrata or procedure.