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

കപാലി, പിംഗള, ഭീമ, വിരൂപാക്ഷ, വിലോഹിത, അജക, ശാസന, ശാസ്താ, ശംഭു, ചണ്ഡ, ഭവ—ഇവരാണ് രുദ്രന്മാർ.

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.