Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

रुरुश्चंडोसितांगश्च कपाली क्रोधनस्तथा । उन्मत्तभैरवस्तद्वत्क्रमात्संहारभीषणौ

Transliteration

ruruścaṃḍositāṃgaśca kapālī krodhanastathā | unmattabhairavastadvatkramātsaṃhārabhīṣaṇau

Translation

They are Ruru, Caṇḍa, Sitāṅga, Kapālī, and Krodhana; likewise Unmatta-bhairava—and in due order, the two who are terrifying in destruction.

Word by Word

• रुरुः: Ruru (a Bhairava)
• रुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (नाम)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• चण्डः: Caṇḍa
• चण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (नाम)

• उसिताङ्गः: Usitāṅga
• उसिताङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उसित-अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; उसित + अङ्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उसितम् अङ्गं यस्य/उसिताङ्गः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• कपाली: Kapālī
• कपाली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (इन्-प्रत्ययान्त)

• क्रोधनः: Krodhana
• क्रोधनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (नाम)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमार्थक (also/likewise)

• उन्मत्तभैरवः: Unmatta-bhairava
• उन्मत्तभैरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उन्मत्त-भैरव (प्रातिपदिक; उन्मत्त + भैरव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उन्मत्तः भैरवः)

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक (like that/similarly)

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (ablative used adverbially: in order/gradually)

• संहारभीषणौ: the two terrifying (ones) of destruction
• संहारभीषणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहार-भीषण (प्रातिपदिक; संहार + भीषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संहारस्य भीषणौ)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A roll-call tableau of Bhairavas—Ruru, Caṇḍa, Sitāṅga, Kapālī, Krodhana, Unmatta, and two saṃhāra-bhīṣaṇa forms—arranged in directional order, each with distinct iconographic cues (skull, trident, dog, fierce gaze).

Characters & Entities

• Bhairava
• Ruru
• Caṇḍa
• Sitāṅga
• Kapālī
• Krodhana
• Unmatta-bhairava
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of Kāśī is reinforced through named forms of Bhairava who uphold dharma by fearsome protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), whose spiritual boundary is guarded by Bhairava forms.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated; the verse is a catalog of divine guardians.