Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7
पाणिभ्यां परितः प्रपीड्य सुदृढं निश्चोत्य निश्चोत्य च ब्रह्मांडं सकलं पचेलिमरसालोच्चैः फलाभं मुहुः । पायंपायमपायतस्त्रिजगतीमुन्मत्तवत्तै रसैर्नृत्यंस्तांडवडंबरेण विधिनापायान्महाभैरवः
pāṇibhyāṃ paritaḥ prapīḍya sudṛḍhaṃ niścotya niścotya ca brahmāṃḍaṃ sakalaṃ pacelimarasāloccaiḥ phalābhaṃ muhuḥ | pāyaṃpāyamapāyatastrijagatīmunmattavattai rasairnṛtyaṃstāṃḍavaḍaṃbareṇa vidhināpāyānmahābhairavaḥ
Mahigpit na pinipisil sa magkabilang kamay, at paulit-ulit na pinipiga, wari’y hinuhugot at niluluto ni Mahābhairava ang buong itlog ng sansinukob, na laging inilalabas ang katas na parang masaganang dagta ng hinog na bunga. Sa pag-inom nang pag-inom ng mga nakalalasing na nektar na yaon, siya’y sumasayaw—ayon sa itinakdang ritwal—sa dumadagundong na pagtatanghal ng Tāṇḍava, habang ang tatlong daigdig ay umiindayog sa pagkahilo.
Skanda (contextual, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)
Tirtha: Mahābhairava (Kāśī kṣetra-pāla)
Type: kshetra
Listener: The devotee/sage
Scene: Mahābhairava, colossal and radiant-dark, grips and ‘presses’ the cosmic egg, extracting its essence like ripe fruit-juice; intoxicated by nectars, he performs a thunderous Tāṇḍava as the three worlds sway in awe.
FAQs
Bhairava is portrayed as the transcendent power who churns and governs creation itself; the universe is subordinate to Śiva’s fierce grace.
The immediate setting is Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Bhairava Māhātmya, implicitly tied to Kāśī where Bhairava is central to sacred protection.
No direct prescription; the verse is a stotra-like poetic visualization supporting contemplation and devotional recitation.