Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5
कपालपाणिर्भगवान्बालकैर्बहुभिर्वृतः । क्वचिद्गायन्हसंश्चैव नृत्यन्वदन् क्वचित्क्वचित्
kapālapāṇirbhagavānbālakairbahubhirvṛtaḥ | kvacidgāyanhasaṃścaiva nṛtyanvadan kvacitkvacit
بھگوان، ہاتھ میں کَپال (کھوپڑی کا کاسہ) لیے، بہت سے لڑکوں سے گھرا ہوا تھا۔ کبھی گاتا اور ہنستا، کبھی ناچتا اور بولتا—کبھی یہاں، کبھی وہاں۔
Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced from section flow)
Tirtha: Ekaśālā (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pārtha (implied)
Scene: Śiva with a skull-bowl wanders amid many boys, alternating between song, laughter, dance, and speech, moving unpredictably through lanes and courtyards.
FAQs
The Lord is not bound by social expectations—His līlā draws hearts through intimacy, joy, and wonder, making devotion natural.
The Revā (Narmadā) corridor of pilgrimage, where such divine episodes establish local sanctity.
None explicitly; the narrative supports smaraṇa/śravaṇa (remembering/hearing) as devotion-building practices.