Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

संरुध्यमानो स्वपुरीं दृष्ट्वा राजभिरुद्धतैः । चंद्रसेनो महाकालं तमेव शरणं ययौ

Transliteration

saṃrudhyamāno svapurīṃ dṛṣṭvā rājabhiruddhataiḥ | caṃdraseno mahākālaṃ tameva śaraṇaṃ yayau

Translation

Nang makita ni Candrasena na ang sarili niyang lungsod ay kinubkob ng mapagmataas na mga hari, siya’y nagtungo kay Mahākāla—siya lamang—bilang tanging kanlungan.

Word by Word

• संरुध्यमानः: being besieged
• संरुध्यमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग) + रुध् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present passive participle/शानच्), आत्मनेपदी-भाव; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘being besieged/being blocked’

• स्वपुरीम्: his own city
• स्वपुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘one’s own city’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having seen’

• राजभिः: by the kings
• राजभिः: Karana/Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ-भावे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• उद्धतैः: arrogant; haughty
• उद्धतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्धत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• चन्द्रसेनः: Candrasena
• चन्द्रसेनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास ‘Mahākāla’ (name of Śiva)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed; alone
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: only/indeed)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘refuge’

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla (Ujjayinī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Candrasena, leaving royal bustle behind, approaches Mahākāla’s shrine alone—city under siege behind him—hands folded in surrender before the linga.

Characters & Entities

• Candrasena
• Mahākāla
• Ujjayinī (Ujjain)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When human defenses fail, śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Śiva—Mahākāla, Lord of Time—becomes the highest dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahākāla’s kṣetra at Ujjayinī (Ujjain), famed as a supreme Śaiva refuge.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, seeking the deity’s sanctuary; the explicit worship practice is stated in the next verse.