Kapaleshvara, Kapāleśvara, Kapala-ishvara: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Kapaleshvara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Kapāleśvara can be transliterated into English as Kapalesvara or Kapaleshvara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

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In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Kapaleshvara in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Kapāleśvara (कपालेश्वर) refers to one of the four Liṅgas of Śiva installed by Skanda (Kārttikeya) after slaying the Asuras Tāraka and Bāṇa, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.11 (“The Victory of Kumāra”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “[...] O sage, with great pleasure and observing the rules Skanda installed three phallic emblems of Śiva that quell all sins. The first is called Pratijñeśvara, the second Kapāleśvara and the last Kumāreśvara. The three are capable of conferring all the achievements. Thereafter Kumāra, the lord of all, joyously installed the phallic image Stambheśvara, near the column of victory. [...]”.

Note: The four phallic images of Śiva [e.g., Kapāleśvara] were set up at Cambay, the scene of the battlefield, to commemorate the Victory of Guha over Tāraka, the Asura-chief.

Purana book cover
context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Kapaleshvara in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

Kapāleśvara (कपालेश्वर) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—poet. [Sūktikarṇāmṛta by Śrīdharadāsa]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Kapāleśvara (कपालेश्वर):—[from kapāla] m. ‘lord of skulls’, Name of Śiva ([especially]) as worshipped at a temple in Nāsik

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

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