The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Dvādaśaliṅgastotram

Verse 3

अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारंमुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम् ।अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थंवन्दे महाकालमहं सुरेशम् ॥ ३ ॥

In plain words

At Avantikā he chose to come down — to hand liberation to those who live rightly, and to stand guard against death that arrives before its hour. I bow to Mahākāla, Great Time himself, Lord of the gods.

Close to the Sanskrit

In Avantikā, him whose descent was deliberately made — for the bestowing of liberation upon the good, and for the sake of complete protection from untimely death — I bow to Mahākāla, the Lord of the gods.