Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

शर्वं कपालहस्तं च ग्रीवार्द्धे गरलान्वितम् । रुण्डमालार्द्धहारं च सितगौरं समंततः

Transliteration

śarvaṃ kapālahastaṃ ca grīvārddhe garalānvitam | ruṇḍamālārddhahāraṃ ca sitagauraṃ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

അവർ ശർവനെ ദർശിച്ചു—കയ്യിൽ കപാലം ധരിച്ച്, കണ്ഠത്തിന്റെ അർദ്ധഭാഗം ഗരലചിഹ്നിതം; റുണ്ടമാലയെ അർദ്ധഹാരമായി ധരിച്ചു, എല്ലാടവും ശ്വേത-ഗൗര പ്രഭയിൽ ദീപ്തനായി വിരാജിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• शर्वम्: Śarva (Shiva)
• शर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (स्तुत्यर्थे/वर्णने)

• कपालहस्तम्: with a skull in hand
• कपालहस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—कपालं हस्ते यस्य/कपालहस्तः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ग्रीवार्द्धे: on half of the neck
• ग्रीवार्द्धे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—ग्रीवायाः अर्धे (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• गरलान्वितम्: accompanied by poison
• गरलान्वितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—गरलेन अन्वितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• रुण्डमालार्द्धहारम्: wearing a half-garland/necklace of severed heads
• रुण्डमालार्द्धहारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुण्डमाला (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + हार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—रुण्डमालायाः अर्धः हारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सितगौरम्: white and fair
• सितगौरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + गौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—सितश्च गौरश्च (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; वर्णद्वयसमाहारः)

• समन्ततः: all around
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सर्वतोभावे (adverb: on all sides)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual deduction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Deities behold Śiva: skull held in hand, throat stained by poison, half-ornament of severed heads, body luminous—white-fair radiance surrounding a fearsome yet benevolent presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śarva (Śiva)
• Kapāla
• Garala (poison)
• Ruṇḍamālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s form unites awe and refuge: the poison signifies cosmic protection, and the fierce ornaments signify transcendence over death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it serves as a descriptive vision within the chapter’s tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a contemplative description supporting devotional visualization (dhyāna) and praise.