Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

कपालकर्त्रीं हस्तां च ब्रह्मांडकवलप्रियाम् । शुष्कोदरीं स्नायुबद्धां चर्ममुंडेति विश्रुताम्

Transliteration

kapālakartrīṃ hastāṃ ca brahmāṃḍakavalapriyām | śuṣkodarīṃ snāyubaddhāṃ carmamuṃḍeti viśrutām

Translation

In ihrer Hand führt sie einen Schädelspalter; sie erfreut sich daran, selbst das „kosmische Ei“ zu verschlingen; dürrbäuchig, von Sehnen gebunden, ist sie berühmt unter dem Namen Carmamuṇḍā.

Word by Word

• kapāla-kartrīm: the skull-maker / skull-doer (f.)
• kapāla-kartrīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kapāla-kartrī (प्रातिपदिक; कपाल + कर्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘कपालस्य कर्त्री’ (maker/worker with skulls)

• hastām: Hastā (name) / the hand-bearing one
• hastām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘हस्ता’ (a female being named Hastā)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• brahmāṇḍa-kavala-priyām: fond of swallowing the cosmic egg (as a morsel)
• brahmāṇḍa-kavala-priyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahmāṇḍa-kavala-priyā (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्माण्ड + कवला + प्रिया)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्माण्ड-कवलः प्रियः यस्याः’ (fond of morsels of the cosmos)

• śuṣka-udarīm: dry-bellied
• śuṣka-udarīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuṣka-udarī (प्रातिपदिक; शुष्क + उदरी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘शुष्कम् उदरं यस्याः’

• snāyu-baddhām: bound with sinews
• snāyu-baddhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snāyu-baddhā (कृदन्त; स्नायु + √bandh क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘बद्धा’ = bound; ‘स्नायुभिः बद्धा’

• carma-muṇḍā: Carmamuṇḍā (name/epithet)
• carma-muṇḍā: Samjna (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carma-muṇḍā (प्रातिपदिक; चर्म + मुण्डा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम/उपाधि: ‘चर्म-आवृता मुण्डा’

• iti: thus / called
• iti: Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• viśrutām: renowned / well-known
• viśrutām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśruta (कृदन्त; √śru वि + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) = renowned

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dārukeśvara-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gaunt, sinew-bound Devī named Carmamuṇḍā stands near the tīrtha: skeletal belly, skull-cleaver raised, eyes intense; she appears capable of swallowing the cosmic egg—an allegory of limitless power—set against a twilight Kāśī riverbank with cremation-ground undertones.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Carmamuṇḍā (Devī)
• Dārukeśvara Tīrtha (contextual)
• Śakti (guardian)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The kṣetra’s holiness is defended by awe-inspiring divine power; fierce imagery teaches reverence and restraint toward sacred space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Darukeśvara Tīrtha context, describing its guardian Devī, Carmamuṇḍā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription here; it supplies identifying marks for contemplation and recognition of the Devī.