Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20
कापालिक व्रतधरः कदाचिच्चाभवद्द्विजः । कदाचिदपि विज्ञानी धातुवादी कदाचन
kāpālika vratadharaḥ kadāciccābhavaddvijaḥ | kadācidapi vijñānī dhātuvādī kadācana
तो कधी कापालिक व्रत धारण करी, कधी द्विज ब्राह्मणाचे रूप घेई। कधी विद्वानासारखा भासे, तर कधी धातुवादी (रसविद्येचा वक्ता) बने॥
Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis
Scene: The same figure appears in alternating guises: a skull-bearing Kāpālika with ash-smeared body, then a dignified brāhmaṇa with sacred thread and manuscript, then a ‘learned’ alchemist displaying crucibles—each scene set against Kāśī’s lanes and ghats.
FAQs
Status (dvija), sectarian vows, or specialized knowledge can be adopted as masks; dharma requires inner truthfulness.
Kāśī, portrayed as a place where many paths and sect-identities appear—demanding discernment.
The Kāpālika vow is named, but no procedure or observance details are given in this verse.