Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

कालो हि हर्ता च चराचराणां तथा ह्यसौ पालकोऽप्यद्वितीयः । स स्रष्टा वै प्राणिनां प्राणभूतस्तस्मादेनं जीवयस्वाशु भूयः

Transliteration

kālo hi hartā ca carācarāṇāṃ tathā hyasau pālako'pyadvitīyaḥ | sa sraṣṭā vai prāṇināṃ prāṇabhūtastasmādenaṃ jīvayasvāśu bhūyaḥ

Translation

காலமே அசையும் மற்றும் அசையாப் பொருட்களை அழிப்பவன்; அவனே இணையற்ற காப்பவனும் ஆவான். அவனே உயிரினங்களைப் படைப்பவன் மற்றும் உயிர் மூச்சானவன், ஆதலால் இவனை உடனே மீண்டும் உயிர்ப்பிப்பாயாக.

Word by Word

• kālaḥ: Time
• kālaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (काल)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि)
• Form: Particle

• hartā: destroyer / remover
• hartā: Visheshana (Qualifier/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hartṛ (हर्तृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

• carācarāṇām: of the moving and unmoving
• carācarāṇām: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cara-acara (चर-अचर)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural

• tathā: similarly
• tathā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (तथा)
• Form: Adverb

• hi: indeed
• hi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि)
• Form: Particle

• asau: he / that
• asau: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (अदस्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• pālakaḥ: protector
• pālakaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pālaka (पालक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• api: also / even
• api: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि)
• Form: Particle

• advitīyaḥ: unique / without a second
• advitīyaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: advitīya (अद्वितीय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• sraṣṭā: creator
• sraṣṭā: Visheshana (Qualifier/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sraṣṭṛ (स्रष्टृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• vai: indeed
• vai: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (वै)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis)

• prāṇinām: of living beings
• prāṇinām: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇin (प्राणिन्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural

• prāṇabhūtaḥ: being the life breath / soul
• prāṇabhūtaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāṇa-bhūta (प्राण-भूत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Ablative used as Adverb/Conjunction

• enam: him
• enam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• jīvayasva: revive / bring to life
• jīvayasva: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (जीव्)
• Form: Lot Lakara (Imperative), Causative, Atmanepada, 2nd Person, Singular

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriya Visheshana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (आशु)
• Form: Adverb

• bhūyaḥ: again
• bhūyaḥ: Kriya Visheshana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyas (भूयस्)
• Form: Adverb

Speaker

Śveta (petitioning Śiva regarding Kāla)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śveta describes Kāla as the remover and protector of all beings, the creator and very prāṇa of creatures, urging immediate revival—an urgent metaphysical appeal.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla
• Śiva (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāla is not merely destructive; time is also protective and life-sustaining within divine order, and mercy can restore cosmic balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, where such teachings are narrated as part of the Kedārakhaṇḍa Mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a theological request—reviving Kāla to preserve the cosmic order.