Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 188

Devanagari script

महाकालः समालिंग्य ताञ्छिवाय निवेदयेत् । एतदत्यद्भुतं लिंगं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्

Transliteration

mahākālaḥ samāliṃgya tāñchivāya nivedayet | etadatyadbhutaṃ liṃgaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam

Translation

มหากาลโอบกอดพวกเขาแล้วน้อมถวายแด่พระศิวะ ลึงคะอัศจรรย์ยิ่งนี้เลื่องลือไปทั่วสามโลก

Word by Word

• महाकालः: Mahākāla
• महाकालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—महान् + कालः (कर्मधारय)

• समालिङ्ग्य: having embraced
• समालिङ्ग्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + लिङ्ग्/लिङ्ग (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having embraced)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• निवेदयेत्: should present/offer
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु) (निवेदयति-णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अति-अद्भुतम्: most wonderful
• अति-अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—अति + अद्भुतम् (अव्ययीभाव; ‘exceedingly wonderful’)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्रिषु: in three
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• विश्रुतम्: renowned
• विश्रुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘well-known’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla Mahā-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Arjuna (implied from surrounding address-forms)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahākāla as a powerful, protective form gently embracing devotees, then leading them before Śiva; the Mahā-liṅga radiates, with the cosmos (three worlds) symbolically witnessing its renown.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Śiva
• Mahā-liṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is carried to fulfillment by divine mediation—Mahākāla leads the devotee into Śiva’s grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahākāla-liṅga site, celebrated as a wonder famed in all three worlds (Ujjain Mahākāleśvara tradition).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, steady devotion to Mahākāla and liṅga-worship; the verse emphasizes the fruit—presentation to Śiva (divine acceptance).