The Glory of Kapaleshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.103.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेद्वरारोहे कपालेश्वरमुत्तमम्। तस्या उत्तरदिग्भागे सुरगंधर्वपूजितम्॥

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchedvarārohe kapāleśvaramuttamam| tasyā uttaradigbhāge suragandharvapūjitam||

Ishvara said: Thereafter, O fair one, one should go to the excellent shrine of Kapaleshvara, worshipped by gods and gandharvas, situated in the northern part of that sacred field.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.103.2)

पुरा यज्ञे वर्त्तमाने दक्षराजस्य धीमतः। उपविष्टेषु विप्रेषु हूयमाने हुताशने॥

purā yajñe varttamāne dakṣarājasya dhīmataḥ| upaviṣṭeṣu vipreṣu hūyamāne hutāśane||

Long ago, when the sacrifice of the wise King Daksha was in progress, the Brahmins were seated in the pavilion and oblations were being offered into the fire.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.103.3)

जाल्मरूपधरो भूत्वा शंकरस्तत्र चागतः। जीर्णकंथान्वितो देवि मलवान्धूलिधूसरः॥

jālmarūpadharo bhūtvā śaṁkarastatra cāgataḥ| jīrṇakaṁthānvito devi malavāndhūlidhūsaraḥ||

At that time Shankara, assuming the form of a wretched outcast, came there — O Devi, clad in a torn and tattered blanket, covered with grime and grey with dust.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.103.4)

अथ ते ब्राह्मणाः क्रुद्धा दृष्ट्वा तं जाल्मरूपिणम्। कपालधारिणं सर्वे धिक्छब्दैस्तं जगर्हिरे॥

atha te brāhmaṇāḥ kruddhā dṛṣṭvā taṁ jālmarūpiṇam| kapāladhāriṇaṁ sarve dhikchabdaistaṁ jagarhire||

Then those Brahmins, enraged at the sight of him in his wretched form, bearing a skull, all reviled him with cries of 'Shame, shame!'

Verse 5 (skanda.7.103.5)

असकृत्पापपापेति गच्छगच्छ नराधम। यज्ञवेदिर्न चार्हा हि मानुषास्थिधरस्य ते॥

asakṛtpāpapāpeti gacchagaccha narādhama| yajñavedirna cārhā hi mānuṣāsthidharasya te||

Again and again they cried, 'Sinner! Sinner! Go away, go away, vilest of men! This sacrificial altar is not fit for one like you who bears a human bone.'

Verse 6 (skanda.7.103.6)

अथ प्रहस्य भगवान्यज्ञवेद्यां सुरेश्वरि। क्षिप्त्वा कपालं नष्टोऽसौ न स ज्ञातो मनीषिभिः॥

atha prahasya bhagavānyajñavedyāṁ sureśvari| kṣiptvā kapālaṁ naṣṭo'sau na sa jñāto manīṣibhiḥ||

Then, O Sureshvari, the Lord laughed, cast the skull upon the sacrificial altar, and vanished — and none among those learned men recognized who he was.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.103.7)

तस्मिन्नष्टे कपालं तत्क्षिप्तं मंडपबाह्यतः। अथान्यत्तत्र संजातं तद्रूपं च वरानने॥

tasminnaṣṭe kapālaṁ tatkṣiptaṁ maṁḍapabāhyataḥ| athānyattatra saṁjātaṁ tadrūpaṁ ca varānane||

O fair-faced one, when he had vanished, that skull was cast outside the pavilion; but then another of the same form appeared there in its place.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.103.8)

क्षिप्तंक्षिप्तं पुनस्तत्र जायते च महीतले। एवं शतसहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च॥

kṣiptaṁkṣiptaṁ punastatra jāyate ca mahītale| evaṁ śatasahasrāṇi prayutānyarbudāni ca||

However many times it was thrown away, that many times it appeared again on that very ground. Thus hundreds of thousands, millions, and hundreds of millions of skulls arose.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.103.9)

तत्र क्षिप्तानि जातानि ततस्ते विस्मयान्विताः। अथोचुर्मुनयः सर्वे निर्विण्णाश्चास्य चेष्टितम्॥

tatra kṣiptāni jātāni tataste vismayānvitāḥ| athocurmunayaḥ sarve nirviṇṇāścāsya ceṣṭitam||

There, though cast away, more skulls kept arising; at this they were filled with astonishment. Then all the sages, distressed at this happening, spoke.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.103.10)

कोऽन्यो देवान्महादेवाद्गंगाक्षालितशेखरात्। समर्थ ईदृशं कर्त्तुमस्मिन्यज्ञे विशेषतः॥

ko'nyo devānmahādevādgaṁgākṣālitaśekharāt| samartha īdṛśaṁ karttumasminyajñe viśeṣataḥ||

'Who else among the gods, save Mahadeva whose crown is washed by the Ganga, could be capable of such a deed, especially here in this sacrifice?'

Verse 11 (skanda.7.103.11)

ततस्ते विविधैः स्तोत्रैः स्तुवंतो वृषभध्वजम्। होमं चक्रुर्मुहुर्वह्नौ मंत्रैस्तैः शतरुद्रियैः॥

tataste vividhaiḥ stotraiḥ stuvaṁto vṛṣabhadhvajam| homaṁ cakrurmuhurvahnau maṁtraistaiḥ śatarudriyaiḥ||

Then, praising the Bull-Bannered One with various hymns, they repeatedly offered oblations into the fire with the Shatarudriya mantras.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.103.12)

ततः प्रत्यक्षतां प्राप्तस्तेषां देवो महेश्वरः। ततस्ते विविधैः स्तोत्रैस्तुष्टुवुः शूलपाणिनम्। वेदोक्तमंत्रैर्विविधैः पुराणोक्तैस्तथैव च॥

tataḥ pratyakṣatāṁ prāptasteṣāṁ devo maheśvaraḥ| tataste vividhaiḥ stotraistuṣṭuvuḥ śūlapāṇinam| vedoktamaṁtrairvividhaiḥ purāṇoktaistathaiva ca||

Then the Lord Maheshvara became manifest before them. Thereupon they praised the Trident-Bearer with manifold hymns, and with various mantras drawn both from the Vedas and from the Puranas.

Verse 13 (skanda.7.103.13)

ऋषय ऊचुः। ॐ नमो मूलप्रकृतये अजिताय महात्मने। अनावृताय देवाय निःस्पृहाय नमोनमः॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ| oṁ namo mūlaprakṛtaye ajitāya mahātmane| anāvṛtāya devāya niḥspṛhāya namonamaḥ||

The sages said: Om, salutations again and again to the Root-Nature itself, to the unconquered great soul, to the god who is ever manifest, and to the desireless one.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.103.14)

नम आद्याय बीजाय आर्षेयाय प्रवर्त्तिने। अनंतराय चैकाय अव्यक्ताय नमोनमः॥

nama ādyāya bījāya ārṣeyāya pravarttine| anaṁtarāya caikāya avyaktāya namonamaḥ||

Salutation to the primal one, the seed, the source of the sages' lineage, the initiator of creation; salutation again and again to the one without interval, the sole one, the unmanifest.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.103.15)

नानाविचित्रभुजगांगदभूषणाय सर्वेश्वराय विरजाय नमो वराय। विश्वात्मने परमकारणकारणाय फुल्लारविंदविपुलायतलोचनाय॥

nānāvicitrabhujagāṁgadabhūṣaṇāya sarveśvarāya virajāya namo varāya| viśvātmane paramakāraṇakāraṇāya phullāraviṁdavipulāyatalocanāya||

Salutation to the supreme one adorned with the manifold strange ornaments of serpents, the lord of all, the stainless one; salutation to the soul of the universe, the cause of even the ultimate cause, whose wide eyes are like a full-blown lotus.

Verse 16 (skanda.7.103.16)

अदृश्यमव्यक्तमनादिमव्ययं यदक्षरं ब्रह्म वदंति सर्वगम्। निशाम्य यं मृत्युमुखात्प्रमुच्यते तमादिदेवं शरणं प्रपद्ये॥

adṛśyamavyaktamanādimavyayaṁ yadakṣaraṁ brahma vadaṁti sarvagam| niśāmya yaṁ mṛtyumukhātpramucyate tamādidevaṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye||

I take refuge in that primal god who is invisible, unmanifest, beginningless, imperishable — whom they call the all-pervading, imperishable Brahman — perceiving whom, one is freed from the very jaws of death.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.103.17)

एवं स्तुतस्तदा सर्वैर्ऋषिभिर्गतकल्मषैः। ततस्तुष्टो महादेवस्तेषां प्रत्यक्षतां गतः। अब्रवीत्तानृषीन्देवो वृणुध्वं वरमुत्तमम्॥

evaṁ stutastadā sarvairṛṣibhirgatakalmaṣaiḥ| tatastuṣṭo mahādevasteṣāṁ pratyakṣatāṁ gataḥ| abravīttānṛṣīndevo vṛṇudhvaṁ varamuttamam||

Thus praised by all the sinless sages, Mahadeva, well pleased, again became manifest before them and said to those sages, 'Choose an excellent boon.'

Verse 18 (skanda.7.103.18)

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः। यदि तुष्टोऽसि नो देव स्थानेऽस्मिन्निरतो भव। असंख्यातानि यस्माच्च कपालानि सुरेश्वर॥

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ| yadi tuṣṭo'si no deva sthāne'sminnirato bhava| asaṁkhyātāni yasmācca kapālāni sureśvara||

The Brahmins said: O God, if you are pleased with us, remain devoted to this very place; for, O Lord of gods, countless skulls have arisen from here.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.103.19)

पुनः पुनः प्रवृत्तानि व्यपनीतान्यपि प्रभो। अस्मिन्नसंशयं स्थाने कपालेश्वरनामभृत्॥

punaḥ punaḥ pravṛttāni vyapanītānyapi prabho| asminnasaṁśayaṁ sthāne kapāleśvaranāmabhṛt||

Even when removed, O Lord, they kept arising again and again; therefore, undoubtedly, in this very place, bear the name Kapaleshvara.

Verse 20 (skanda.7.103.20)

स्वयं तु लिंगं देवेश तिष्ठेन्मन्वंतरांतरम्। कपालेश्वरनाम्ना त्वमस्मिन्स्थाने स्थितिं कुरु॥

svayaṁ tu liṁgaṁ deveśa tiṣṭhenmanvaṁtarāṁtaram| kapāleśvaranāmnā tvamasminsthāne sthitiṁ kuru||

O Lord of gods, let your own linga stand here throughout an entire manvantara; abide in this place under the name Kapaleshvara.

Verse 21 (skanda.7.103.21)

येत्र त्वां पूजयिष्यंति धूपमाल्यानुलेपनैः। तेषां तु परमं स्थानं यद्देवैरपि दुर्लभम्॥

yetra tvāṁ pūjayiṣyaṁti dhūpamālyānulepanaiḥ| teṣāṁ tu paramaṁ sthānaṁ yaddevairapi durlabham||

Those who shall worship you here with incense, garlands, and unguents will attain that supreme abode which is hard to reach even for the gods.

Verse 22 (skanda.7.103.22)

बाढमित्येवमुक्त्वाऽसौ स्थितस्तत्र महेश्वरः। पुनः प्रवर्तितो यज्ञो निशानाथस्य भामिनि॥

bāḍhamityevamuktvā'sau sthitastatra maheśvaraḥ| punaḥ pravartito yajño niśānāthasya bhāmini||

Saying 'So be it,' Maheshvara took up his abode there; and, O gracious lady, the sacrifice of the Lord of Night was then resumed.

Verse 23 (skanda.7.103.23)

तस्मिन्दृष्टे लभेन्मर्त्यो वाजिमेधफलं प्रिये। मुच्यते पातकैः सर्वैः पूर्वजन्मार्ज्जितैरपि॥

tasmindṛṣṭe labhenmartyo vājimedhaphalaṁ priye| mucyate pātakaiḥ sarvaiḥ pūrvajanmārjjitairapi||

O beloved, by seeing that linga, a mortal obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice, and is freed from all sins, even those accumulated in previous births.

Verse 24 (skanda.7.103.24)

इदं माहात्म्यमखिलमभूत्स्वायंभुवांतरे। वैवस्वते पुनश्चान्यद्दक्षयज्ञविनाशकृत्॥

idaṁ māhātmyamakhilamabhūtsvāyaṁbhuvāṁtare| vaivasvate punaścānyaddakṣayajñavināśakṛt||

This entire glory took place in the Svayambhuva manvantara. Again, in the Vaivasvata manvantara, another account arose, connected with the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.103.25)

कपालीति महेशानो दक्षेणोक्तः पुरा हरः। तेन यज्ञस्य विध्वंसं कपाली तमथाकरोत्। कपालेश्वरनामेति स्थितोऽस्मिन्मानवान्तरे॥

kapālīti maheśāno dakṣeṇoktaḥ purā haraḥ| tena yajñasya vidhvaṁsaṁ kapālī tamathākarot| kapāleśvaranāmeti sthito'sminmānavāntare||

Long ago Daksha addressed the great lord Hara as 'Kapali' (the skull-bearer); thereupon Kapali destroyed that sacrifice. Since then, in this manvantara, he has remained under the name Kapaleshvara.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.103.26)

अथास्य नाम देवस्य सूर्यसावर्णिकेऽन्तरे। भविष्यति वरारोहे नाम तत्त्वेश्वरेति च॥

athāsya nāma devasya sūryasāvarṇike'ntare| bhaviṣyati varārohe nāma tattveśvareti ca||

O fair one, in the Surya-Savarni manvantara, the name of this god shall become 'Tattveshvara.'

Verse 27 (skanda.7.103.27)

इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तं माहात्म्यं रुद्रदैवतम्। पापघ्नं सर्वजंतूनां पशुपाशविमोक्षणम्॥

iti saṁkṣepataḥ proktaṁ māhātmyaṁ rudradaivatam| pāpaghnaṁ sarvajaṁtūnāṁ paśupāśavimokṣaṇam||

Thus has this glory of Rudra been briefly told, which destroys sin and liberates all creatures from the fetters of worldly bondage (pashupasha).