Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38
शासनं शिरसा धृत्वा देवदेवस्य शूलिनः । कालिकाऽलिहितो वीरः सर्वभूतैः समावृतः । वीरभद्रो महातेजा ययौ दक्षमखं प्रति
śāsanaṃ śirasā dhṛtvā devadevasya śūlinaḥ | kālikā'lihito vīraḥ sarvabhūtaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ | vīrabhadro mahātejā yayau dakṣamakhaṃ prati
దేవదేవుడైన శూలధారి ఆజ్ఞను శిరసా వహించి, కాళీదేవి ముద్రతో గుర్తింపబడిన ఆ వీరుడు, సమస్త భూతగణాలతో ఆవరించబడి, మహాతేజస్సుగల వీరభద్రుడు దక్షమఖం వైపు బయలుదేరాడు।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)
Tirtha: Kedāra (frame) / Dakṣa-yajña kṣetra (destination)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Sage-audience
Scene: Vīrabhadra bows his head as if bearing Rudra’s command like a crown; Kālī touches/marks him (tilaka/anointment), and an immense tide of bhūtas surges behind as he marches toward the blazing yajña pavilion in the distance.
FAQs
True strength is sanctified by obedience to divine dharma; even fierce power is portrayed as disciplined service.
The Kedārakhaṇḍa context links the narrative to the Kedāra-Himalayan sacred sphere; this verse narrates movement toward Dakṣa’s yajña rather than praising a particular tīrtha.
None; it emphasizes acceptance of Śiva’s command (ājñā) as a dharmic principle.