Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

स्वयं कपालविस्फोटं निहताशेषसैनिकम् । ददर्श वेतालपतिं तं च हंतुं प्रचक्रमे

Transliteration

svayaṃ kapālavisphoṭaṃ nihatāśeṣasainikam | dadarśa vetālapatiṃ taṃ ca haṃtuṃ pracakrame

Translation

Er selbst erblickte Kapāla-visphoṭa, den Herrn der Vetālas, dessen gesamtes Heer erschlagen war; und er machte sich daran, auch ihn zu töten.

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Emphatic/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मनः (reflexive adverb: “himself”)

• कपालविस्फोटम्: Kapāla-visphoṭa (name/“skull-splitting one”)
• कपालविस्फोटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्फोट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; समासः—कपालस्य विस्फोटः (skull-splitting/explosion)

• निहत: slain
• निहत: Karma (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण

• अशेष: entire
• अशेष: Karma (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (entire)

• सैनिकम्: army (troop)
• सैनिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैनिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वेतालपतिम्: lord of the vetālas
• वेतालपतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेताल (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; समासः—वेतालानां पतिः (lord of vetālas)

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); “to kill”

• प्रचक्रमे: began, set about
• प्रचक्रमे: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; आरम्भार्थे (began)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, Setukhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hemakāñcana-saras

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame typical; not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The battlefield quiets; the brāhmaṇa youth beholds Kapāla-visphoṭa, dread lord of vetālas, amid fallen hosts—skull motifs, dark aura, and the golden lake glowing behind.

Characters & Entities

• Kapālavisphoṭa
• vetālapati (lord of vetālas)
• dvijātmaja (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When sacred order is threatened, steadfastness and courage are praised as supports of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa sacred region around the wondrous lake remains the narrative locus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the focus is on removing impediments to sanctity.