Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 80
बर्बरीकशिरश्चैव गिरिशृंगमवाप्य तत् । देहस्य भूमिसंस्काराश्चाभवच्छिरसो नहि । ततो युद्धं महदभूत्कुरुपांडवसेनयोः
barbarīkaśiraścaiva giriśṛṃgamavāpya tat | dehasya bhūmisaṃskārāścābhavacchiraso nahi | tato yuddhaṃ mahadabhūtkurupāṃḍavasenayoḥ
बर्बरीकस्य शिरश्च गिरिशृङ्गमवाप तत्। देहस्य भूमिसंस्काराः कृताः, शिरसो न तु। ततः कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोर्महद्युद्धमभवत्।
Narrator (deduced: Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta tradition in Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)
Tirtha: Barbarīka-śiras-śṛṅga (peak of the head)
Type: peak
Scene: A stark mountain summit with Barbarīka’s head placed or arriving miraculously; below, funeral rites for the body; in the distance, armies assembling for a vast war.
FAQs
Even extraordinary warriors and events remain subject to dharma and destiny; the narrative frames war and death within cosmic order rather than mere human pride.
No distinct tīrtha is explicitly named in this verse; the setting is the Kurukṣetra war context within a Purāṇic narration.
It mentions bhūmi-saṃskāra—funerary/burial rites performed for the body (but not for the head).