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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

अहोरात्रं मुहूर्तेन मुहूर्तं तु कलाहतम् । कलां काष्ठा हतां कृत्वा काष्ठां निमिषभाजिताम्

ahorātraṃ muhūrtena muhūrtaṃ tu kalāhatam | kalāṃ kāṣṭhā hatāṃ kṛtvā kāṣṭhāṃ nimiṣabhājitām

กลางวันและกลางคืนกำหนดด้วยมุหูรตะ และมุหูรตะหนึ่งแบ่งเป็นกะลา. กะลาแบ่งเป็นกาษฐา และกาษฐาแบ่งเป็นนิมีษะ—ดังนี้แลเป็นการนับวัดกาลเวลา.

ahaḥ-rātramday and night (a full day)
ahaḥ-rātram:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootahaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (अहश्च रात्रिश्च)
muhūrtenaby a muhūrta
muhūrtena:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootmuhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन
muhūrtama muhūrta
muhūrtam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmuhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast particle)
kalā-hatamdivided into kalās
kalā-hatam:
Karma (Object-complement/कर्मविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkalā (प्रातिपदिक) + √han (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (हत)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कलया हतम् = कलाभिः विभक्तम्)
kalāma kalā (part)
kalām:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkalā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
kāṣṭhāa kāṣṭhā (unit of time)
kāṣṭhā:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkāṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन
hatāmdivided/struck down
hatām:
Karma (Object-complement/कर्मविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√han (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (हत)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (कर्मणि)
kṛtvāhaving made
kṛtvā:
Kriya (Gerundial/पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Root√kṛ (धातु) त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त
Formअव्यय; त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया
kāṣṭhāma kāṣṭhā
kāṣṭhām:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkāṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
nimiṣa-bhājitāmdivided into nimiṣas
nimiṣa-bhājitām:
Karma (Object-complement/कर्मविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnimiṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + √bhaj (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (bhājita)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; तत्पुरुषसमासः (निमिषैः भाजिता = निमिषैः विभक्ता)

Śiva

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Listener: Devī

Scene: A schematic ‘time ladder’ descending from day-night to ever-smaller units, shown as concentric circles or steps; a pilgrim with prayer beads marks muhūrtas near a coastal shrine.

A
Ahorātra
M
Muhūrta
K
Kalā
K
Kāṣṭhā
N
Nimīṣa

FAQs

Time is sacredly structured; mindfulness of its divisions supports disciplined worship and dharmic living.

Prabhāsa Kṣetra is the setting; the Māhātmya uses time-reckoning to ground sacred observances in cosmic order.

No specific rite is commanded, but the units named are foundational for timing japa, pūjā, vrata, and snāna.