Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

राक्षसो भीषणवपुः कपालकृतकुंडलः । वसारुधिरलिप्तांगः श्मश्रुलः पिंगलोचनः

Transliteration

rākṣaso bhīṣaṇavapuḥ kapālakṛtakuṃḍalaḥ | vasārudhiraliptāṃgaḥ śmaśrulaḥ piṃgalocanaḥ

Translation

A rākṣasa of dreadful form appeared—wearing earrings made of skulls, his limbs smeared with fat and blood, bearded, with tawny eyes.

Word by Word

• राक्षसः: the demon
• राक्षसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भीषण-वपुः: of terrifying form
• भीषण-वपुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• कपाल-कृत-कुण्डलः: having earrings made of skulls
• कपाल-कृत-कुण्डलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (कपालैः कृतानि कुण्डलानि यस्य)

• वसा-रुधिर-लिप्त-अङ्गः: whose limbs are smeared with fat and blood
• वसा-रुधिर-लिप्त-अङ्गः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसा (प्रातिपदिक) + रुधिर (प्रातिपदिक) + लिप्त (लिप्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; (वसारुधिरेण लिप्तानि अङ्गानि यस्य)

• श्मश्रुलः: bearded
• श्मश्रुलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (मतुप्/लच्-अर्थे) ‘श्मश्रुयुक्तः’

• पिङ्गल-लोचनः: with tawny eyes
• पिङ्गल-लोचनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda addressing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A skull-adorned rākṣasa with tawny eyes, beard, and blood-smeared limbs emerges in a dark cremation-ground-like ambience, threatening travelers in Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasa
• Vidyunmālī (contextual, from prior verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It sets the stage for the triumph of protection and dharma over terror—fearsome forms test courage and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named in this descriptive verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.