Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

कपालिरूपमास्थाय कपालीशस्ततः स्मृतः । सर्वपापहरो नृणां दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि

Transliteration

kapālirūpamāsthāya kapālīśastataḥ smṛtaḥ | sarvapāpaharo nṛṇāṃ darśanātsparśanādapi

Translation

Assuming the form of Kapālī, he is therefore known as Kapālīśa. For human beings he removes all sins—even by mere seeing, and even by touch.

Word by Word

• कपाली-रूपम्: the form of Kapālī
• कपाली-रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाली (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कपालीस्य रूपम्)

• आस्थाय: having assumed
• आस्थाय: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया ‘having assumed’

• कपाली-ईशः: the lord of the Kapālīs (Kapālīśa)
• कपाली-ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाली (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कपालीनाम् ईशः)

• ततः: thereupon/then
• ततः: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—सम्बन्ध/अनन्तर (thereupon/thereafter)

• स्मृतः: is called/remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/आख्यातार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः ‘is called/remembered’

• सर्व-पाप-हरः: remover of all sins
• सर्व-पाप-हरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां पापानां हरः)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• दर्शनात्: from (mere) seeing
• दर्शनात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (from/by reason of seeing)

• स्पर्शनात्: from touching
• स्पर्शनात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (from/by reason of touching)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात—समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapālīśa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kapālīśa manifested as a liṅga or Śiva-form radiating purifying light; pilgrims approach—some merely looking, some touching the threshold or liṅga-base—while dark 'pāpa' imagery dissolves into light.

Characters & Entities

• Kapālīśa
• Kapālī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Contact with the divine—through darśana and reverent touch—purifies accumulated karma when approached with faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapālīśa/Kapālīśvara in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, famed for pāpa-nāśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice of darśana and sparśa (reverent touch) of the deity/liṅga as purificatory acts.