Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

कपाली पिंगलो भीमो विरुपाक्षो विलोहितः । अजकः शासनः शास्ता शंभुश्चण्डो भवस्तथा

Transliteration

kapālī piṃgalo bhīmo virupākṣo vilohitaḥ | ajakaḥ śāsanaḥ śāstā śaṃbhuścaṇḍo bhavastathā

Translation

ກະປາລີ (Kapālī), ປິງກະລະ (Piṅgala), ພີມະ (Bhīma), ວິຣູປາກສະ (Virūpākṣa), ວິໂລຫິຕະ (Vilohita), ອະຊະກະ (Ajaka), ສາສະນະ (Śāsana), ສາສຕາ (Śāstā), ສັມພຸ (Śambhu), ຈັນຑະ (Caṇḍa), ແລະ ພະວະ (Bhava)—ເຫຼົ່ານີ້ແມ່ນຣຸດຣະ.

Word by Word

• kapālī: Kapālī (skull-bearer; a Rudra name)
• kapālī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• piṅgalaḥ: tawny; Piṅgala (name)
• piṅgalaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhīmaḥ: terrible; Bhīma (name)
• bhīmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• virūpākṣaḥ: Virūpākṣa (odd-eyed; name)
• virūpākṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi-rūpa-akṣa (प्रातिपदिक; vi ‘different’ + rūpa ‘form’ + akṣa ‘eye’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः ‘विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य’ (one whose eyes are of unusual form)

• vilohitaḥ: very red; Vilohita (name)
• vilohitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-lohita (प्रातिपदिक; vi ‘intense/varied’ + lohita ‘red’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयार्थे विशेषण

• ajakaḥ: Ajaka (name)
• ajakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• śāsanaḥ: Śāsana (ruler/command; name)
• śāsanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• śāstā: Śāstā (teacher/ruler; name)
• śāstā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva; name)
• śaṃbhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• caṇḍaḥ: fierce; Caṇḍa (name)
• caṇḍaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhavaḥ: Bhava (Śiva; name)
• bhavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circular mandala of eleven Rudra forms around a central liṅga: Kapālī with skull-bowl, Piṅgala golden-hued, Bhīma towering, Virūpākṣa with distinct eyes, Vilohita reddish, Śambhu benevolent, Caṇḍa fierce, Bhava sustaining—each with trident and matted locks, ash-smeared bodies.

Characters & Entities

• Kapālī
• Piṅgala
• Bhīma
• Virūpākṣa
• Vilohita
• Ajaka
• Śāsana
• Śāstā
• Śambhu
• Caṇḍa
• Bhava
• Rudras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s power is contemplated through multiple Rudra-forms, encouraging devotion that recognizes the many aspects of the one Divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced in this verse; it is a name-list for Rudra forms.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not explicit; such names are commonly used for nāma-japa and Rudra-oriented praise.