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Shloka 83

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

अथैनं शङ्करगणो युयुधे विष्णुसंभवम् / भीषणो भैरवादेशात् कालवेग इति श्रुतः

athainaṃ śaṅkaragaṇo yuyudhe viṣṇusaṃbhavam / bhīṣaṇo bhairavādeśāt kālavega iti śrutaḥ

അപ്പോൾ ശങ്കരന്റെ ഒരു ഗണം വിഷ്ണുസംഭവനായ അവനോടു യുദ്ധം ചെയ്തു; ഭൈരവന്റെ ആജ്ഞപ്രകാരം ഭീകരനായി അവൻ ‘കാലവേഗൻ’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധനായിരുന്നു।

अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)
एनम्him
एनम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)
शङ्कर-गणःŚaṅkara’s troop (gaṇas)
शङ्कर-गणः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘of Śaṅkara’ + ‘troop’)
युयुधेfought
युयुधे:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootयुध् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘fought’
विष्णु-संभवम्the one born of Viṣṇu
विष्णु-संभवम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘from Viṣṇu’ + ‘born’)
भीषणःterrible
भीषणः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
TypeAdjective
Rootभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) of (कालवेगः)
भैरव-आदेशात्by Bhairava’s command
भैरव-आदेशात्:
Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootभैरव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘of Bhairava’ + ‘command’); हेतौ/निमित्ते (cause)
काल-वेगःKālavega
काल-वेगः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (name: ‘time’ + ‘speed/impetus’)
इतिthus
इति:
Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)
श्रुतःwas known (as)
श्रुतः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘heard/known (as)’

Purāṇic narrator (Sūta/Vyāsa tradition) describing the battle episode

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Ś
Śaṅkara (Śiva)
Ś
Śaṅkaragaṇa (Śiva’s gaṇa)
V
Viṣṇu
B
Bhairava
K
Kālavega

FAQs

Indirectly, it points to a single divine order operating through different forms—Śiva’s gaṇas and a Viṣṇu-born power—suggesting one overarching sovereignty behind apparent plurality.

No explicit practice is taught in this line; however, the motif of ‘Kālavega’ (the force of Time) supports the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic emphasis on mastering time-bound fear through steadiness (dhairya) and disciplined spiritual practice.

It presents a coordinated sacred cosmos: Bhairava’s command empowers Śiva’s gaṇa, while the opponent is ‘Viṣṇu-born’—a narrative frame consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis rather than sectarian opposition.