Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तत्कपालाश्रितं हव्यं कर्तव्यं सकलं त्विदम् । तथा च मां समु द्दिश्य विशषाज्जातवेदसि

Transliteration

tatkapālāśritaṃ havyaṃ kartavyaṃ sakalaṃ tvidam | tathā ca māṃ samu ddiśya viśaṣājjātavedasi

Translation

ഈ സമസ്ത ഹവ്യം ആ കപാലപാത്രത്തിൽ ആശ്രയിച്ചുതന്നെ നിർവഹിക്കണം. കൂടാതെ എന്നെ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച്, പ്രത്യേകമായി ജാതവേദസ് (അഗ്നി) ൽ ആഹുതി അർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश ("that")

• kapāla-āśritam: resting on a skull-bowl
• kapāla-āśritam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kapāla (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrita (कृदन्त; √śri आश्रये)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त विशेषण; कपाले आश्रितम् (loc.-tatpuruṣa)

• havyam: offering (havis)
• havyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; हव्य (offering)

• kartavyam: must be done
• kartavyam: Vidhi (Injunctional predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kartavya (कृदन्त; √kṛ करणॆ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; कर्तव्यम् (gerundive)

• sakalam: entire, whole
• sakalam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (but/indeed)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• samu: fully, together (as preverb)
• samu: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samu (अव्यय; उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्-उपसर्गार्थे (together/fully; as preverb)

• uddiśya: having directed (towards)
• uddiśya: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु; निर्देशे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्यय; "having indicated/aimed at"

• viśaṣāt: from the viśaṣa (special portion/ingredient)
• viśaṣāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśaṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative)

• jāta-vedasi: in/for Jātavedas (Agni)
• jāta-vedasi: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātavedas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अग्निनाम; जातं वेद इति (karmadhāraya)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritualist places the oblation on a skull-vessel and offers it into Agni, while a deity is invoked by name/intention; Brahmā witnesses the unusual but potent rite.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Agni (Jātavedas)
• Kapāla
• Havya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer ritual implements and inner intention must align; dedication (uddeśa/saṅkalpa) gives the rite its spiritual correctness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is instructional within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter and does not name a site explicitly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the offering using the kapāla-vessel and offer into Agni with explicit dedication to Śiva.