The Glory of Kapalishvara

Verse 1 (skanda.7.89.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेद्वरारोहे कपालीश्वरमुत्तमम्। रुद्रं तृतीयं पापघ्नं नीलरुद्रस्यपूर्वतः

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchedvarārohe kapālīśvaramuttamam| rudraṁ tṛtīyaṁ pāpaghnaṁ nīlarudrasyapūrvataḥ

Ishvara said: Then, O fair one, one should go to the excellent Kapalishvara, the third Rudra, destroyer of sin, to the east of Nilarudra.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.89.2)

बुधेश्वरात्पश्चिमतो धनुषां सप्तके स्थितम्। छिन्नं मया पुरा देवि ब्रह्मणः पंचमं शिरः

budheśvarātpaścimato dhanuṣāṁ saptake sthitam| chinnaṁ mayā purā devi brahmaṇaḥ pañcamaṁ śiraḥ

It is situated seven bows to the west of Budheshvara. Long ago, O Goddess, I severed the fifth head of Brahma.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.89.3)

तत्कपालं करे लग्नं प्रभासक्षेत्रमागतः। ततो वर्षसहस्रं तु संस्थितः क्षेत्रमध्यतः

tatkapālaṁ kare lagnaṁ prabhāsakṣetramāgataḥ| tato varṣasahasraṁ tu saṁsthitaḥ kṣetramadhyataḥ

That skull, stuck fast to my hand, I came to the field of Prabhasa; then for a thousand years I remained in the midst of that field.

Verse 4 (skanda.7.89.4)

कपालधारी दिग्वासाः कपाली तेन च स्मृतः। तन्मया पूजितं लिंगं वर्षाणामयुतं प्रिये

kapāladhārī digvāsāḥ kapālī tena ca smṛtaḥ| tanmayā pūjitaṁ liṅgaṁ varṣāṇāmayutaṁ priye

Bearing the skull, clad only in the directions, I was thereby remembered as Kapali; I worshipped that Linga there for ten thousand years, O beloved.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.89.5)

कपालिरूपमास्थाय कपालीशस्ततः स्मृतः। सर्वपापहरो नृणां दर्शनात्स्पर्शनादपि

kapālirūpamāsthāya kapālīśastataḥ smṛtaḥ| sarvapāpaharo nṛṇāṁ darśanātsparśanādapi

Having taken the form of Kapali, he was thereafter remembered as Kapalisha; he removes all sin from men, both through sight and through touch.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.89.6)

मया तत्र नियुक्ता वै रक्षार्थं शूलपाणयः। गणाः सहस्रशो देवि पापिनां दुष्टचेतसाम्

mayā tatra niyuktā vai rakṣārthaṁ śūlapāṇayaḥ| gaṇāḥ sahasraśo devi pāpināṁ duṣṭacetasām

By me were appointed there, for protection, thousands of trident-bearing ganas, O Goddess, as a guard against sinners of wicked mind.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.89.7)

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमन्वितः। पूजयेत्तं महादेवं कपालिनमनामयम्

tasmātsarvaprayatnena samyakchraddhāsamanvitaḥ| pūjayettaṁ mahādevaṁ kapālinamanāmayam

Therefore, with every effort, endowed with proper faith, one should worship that great, unafflicted god Kapalin.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.89.8)

हिरण्यं तत्र दातव्यं ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे। पूजयित्वा विधानेन सम्यक्तत्पुरुषाणुना

hiraṇyaṁ tatra dātavyaṁ brāhmaṇe vedapārage| pūjayitvā vidhānena samyaktatpuruṣāṇunā

Gold should be given there to a brahmin versed in the Vedas; having duly worshipped with the Tatpurusha mantra —

Verse 9 (skanda.7.89.9)

जन्मप्रभृति यत्पापं प्राणिभिः समुपार्जितम्। षडशीतिमुखे दृष्ट्वा तल्लिंगं तु व्यपोहति

janmaprabhṛti yatpāpaṁ prāṇibhiḥ samupārjitam| ṣaḍaśītimukhe dṛṣṭvā talliṅgaṁ tu vyapohati

— whatever sin has been accumulated by living beings since birth, all that is dispelled by beholding that Linga in its eighty-six-faced form.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.89.10)

इति संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तं माहात्म्यं पापनाशनम्। कपालिरुद्रदेवस्य तृतीयस्य वरानने

iti saṁkṣepataḥ proktaṁ māhātmyaṁ pāpanāśanam| kapālirudradevasya tṛtīyasya varānane

Thus, O fair-faced one, has been told in brief the sin-destroying glory of Kapali-Rudra-deva, the third.