Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53
शवभस्मान्वितो रुद्रः कृत्तिवासा ह्यमंगलः । पिशाचैः प्रमथैर्भूतैरावृतो हि निरंतरम्
śavabhasmānvito rudraḥ kṛttivāsā hyamaṃgalaḥ | piśācaiḥ pramathairbhūtairāvṛto hi niraṃtaram
റുദ്രൻ ശവഭസ്മം പുരട്ടി, ചർമവസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ചു, അമംഗളൻ എന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു; പിശാചുകൾ, പ്രമഥങ്ങൾ, ഭൂതഗണങ്ങൾ അവനെ നിരന്തരം ചുറ്റിപ്പറ്റുന്നു.
Rudra (Śiva) in baṭu-rūpa (speaking to dissuade/criticize, as a test)
Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Rudra stands ash-smeared, wearing a hide, surrounded by piśācas, pramathas, and bhūtas—yet he is the still center. The spirits form a swirling perimeter while Rudra remains composed.
FAQs
Worldly notions of ‘auspicious/inauspicious’ cannot measure Śiva; divine reality may appear frightening to test sincerity.
Kedāra (Kedāranātha/Kedāra-kṣetra) within the Kedārakhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape.
No specific ritual is prescribed here; the verse sets up a devotional test and the theme of steadfast tapas.