Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कपालमालाभरणा बद्धमुण्डार्धपिंडका । खट्वांगकंकालधरा रुण्डमुंडकरा शिवा

Transliteration

kapālamālābharaṇā baddhamuṇḍārdhapiṃḍakā | khaṭvāṃgakaṃkāladharā ruṇḍamuṃḍakarā śivā

Translation

كانت تتزيّن بإكليلٍ من الجماجم، وعليها عناقيدُ من أنصاف الرؤوس المربوطة؛ تحمل خَطْوانغا (khaṭvāṅga) وهيكلاً عظمياً، وفي يديها رؤوسٌ مقطوعة وجماجم—تلك هي الشرسة شيفا (تابعة شيفا الأنثى).

Word by Word

• कपालमालाभरणा: wearing a garland/ornament of skulls
• कपालमालाभरणा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपाल-माला-आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शिवा’ इति पदस्य

• बद्धमुण्डार्धपिंडका: having half-lumps of bound heads (skulls)
• बद्धमुण्डार्धपिंडका: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध-मुण्ड-अर्ध-पिण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• खट्वांगकंकालधरा: bearing a club (khaṭvāṅga) and a skeleton
• खट्वांगकंकालधरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खट्वाङ्ग-कङ्काल-धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘धर’ = धारयति इति (धृ-धातु-आधारित प्रातिपदिक), विशेषण

• रुण्डमुंडकरा: having hands with trunks and severed heads
• रुण्डमुंडकरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुण्ड-मुण्ड-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शिवा: Śivā (the goddess)
• शिवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī addressed; frame audience implied

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The fierce Śivā-attendant stands adorned with a skull garland and bound head-clusters, holding khaṭvāṅga and skeletal staff, hands bearing severed heads and skulls—an embodiment of death-conquering power.

Characters & Entities

• Śivā (fierce female attendant/manifestation)
• khaṭvāṅga
• kapāla-mālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fierce iconography signifies the power that destroys negativity and protects Dharma; terror is re-framed as divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the thematic frame; the verse contributes mythic authority rather than naming a specific sub-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive (iconography).