Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कपालमालाभरणा बद्धमुण्डार्धपिंडका । खट्वांगकंकालधरा रुण्डमुंडकरा शिवा

Transliteration

kapālamālābharaṇā baddhamuṇḍārdhapiṃḍakā | khaṭvāṃgakaṃkāladharā ruṇḍamuṃḍakarā śivā

Translation

അവൾ കപാലമാലാഭരണത്തോടെ അലങ്കൃതയായി, ബന്ധിച്ച അർധമുണ്ഡങ്ങളുടെ കൂട്ടം ധരിച്ചവൾ; ഖട്വാംഗവും കങ്കാലവും വഹിച്ച്, കൈകളിൽ രുണ്ഡ-മുണ്ഡങ്ങൾ പിടിച്ച ഉഗ്ര ശിവാ.

Word by Word

• कपालमालाभरणा: wearing a garland/ornament of skulls
• कपालमालाभरणा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपाल-माला-आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शिवा’ इति पदस्य

• बद्धमुण्डार्धपिंडका: having half-lumps of bound heads (skulls)
• बद्धमुण्डार्धपिंडका: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध-मुण्ड-अर्ध-पिण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• खट्वांगकंकालधरा: bearing a club (khaṭvāṅga) and a skeleton
• खट्वांगकंकालधरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खट्वाङ्ग-कङ्काल-धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘धर’ = धारयति इति (धृ-धातु-आधारित प्रातिपदिक), विशेषण

• रुण्डमुंडकरा: having hands with trunks and severed heads
• रुण्डमुंडकरा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुण्ड-मुण्ड-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शिवा: Śivā (the goddess)
• शिवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī addressed; frame audience implied

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The fierce Śivā-attendant stands adorned with a skull garland and bound head-clusters, holding khaṭvāṅga and skeletal staff, hands bearing severed heads and skulls—an embodiment of death-conquering power.

Characters & Entities

• Śivā (fierce female attendant/manifestation)
• khaṭvāṅga
• kapāla-mālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fierce iconography signifies the power that destroys negativity and protects Dharma; terror is re-framed as divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the thematic frame; the verse contributes mythic authority rather than naming a specific sub-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive (iconography).