Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43
Devanagari script
महाकेशः सहस्रेण नंदिर्द्वादशभिस्तथा । नगः कालः करालश्च महाकालः शतेन च
Transliteration
mahākeśaḥ sahasreṇa naṃdirdvādaśabhistathā | nagaḥ kālaḥ karālaśca mahākālaḥ śatena ca
Translation
摩诃计舍率一千而来；难提亦携十二部而至。那伽、迦罗与迦罗罗亦来；而摩诃迦罗则率一百随从而到。
Word by Word
महाकेशःMahākeśa (a name)
महाकेशः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहाकेश (प्रातिपदिक; महा + केश)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
सहस्रेणby/with a thousand
सहस्रेण:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootसहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)
नन्दिःNandi (a name)
नन्दिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनन्दि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
द्वादशभिःby/with twelve
द्वादशभिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वादश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
Formत्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)
तथाlikewise/also
तथा:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपपद (particle: 'also/likewise')
नगःNaga (a name)
नगः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
कालःKāla (a name)
कालः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
करालःKarāla (a name)
करालः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकराल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)
महाकालःMahākāla (a name)
महाकालः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमहाकाल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + काल)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
शतेनby/with a hundred
शतेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A vast assembly of Śiva’s gaṇas arriving in ordered companies: Mahākeśa with a thousand, Nandin with twelve groups, and fierce forms like Kāla, Karāla, and Mahākāla with a hundred—suggesting a martial mustering around a central Śaiva axis.
Characters & Entities
M
MahākeśaN
NandiN
NagaK
KālaK
KarālaM
MahākālaFAQs
Śiva’s entourage includes even the powers of Time and awe—reminding devotees that all cosmic forces stand within Śiva’s dominion.
Though “Mahākāla” is famously associated with Ujjain, this verse itself does not explicitly praise a tīrtha; it lists gaṇas.
None.