KAPĀLĪ I One of the eleven Rudras. This Rudra was the son of Sthāṇu, son of Brahmā.
[Chapter 66, Ādi Parva] . According to the Mahābhārata the eleven Rudras are the following: Mṛgavyādha, Sarpa, Nirṛti, Ajaikapāt, Ahirbudhnya, Pinākī, Īśvara, Kapālī, Sthāṇu, Bharga and Dahana. (See under Kapardī). The eleven Rudras are referred to in different ways in Agni Purāṇa and Viṣṇu Purāṇa.
KAPĀLĪ II Śiva. The Mahābhārata gives the following story regarding the reason for Śiva's getting the name of Kapālī. Once a great controversy arose regarding the supreme sovereignty of the three worlds between Brahmā and Viṣṇu. Then there came to their midst an effulgence of Śiva and a voice from heaven said “He who finds the source of this brilliance is the real sovereign of the three worlds”. Brahmā went up to find the upper end and Viṣṇu went down to find the lower end. They travelled for a very long time without finding the end when Brahmā saw a Ketakī flower coming down. On enquiry the flower said it was coming from the origin of the brilliance and that three Brahmā deluges had elapsed since its starting from there. Brahmā took that flower and went to Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu asked Brahmā whether he had seen the end of the effulgence and Brahmā said ‘yes’. Immediately the flower in the hand of Brahmā turned into the figure of Śiva and cut off one of the heads of Brahmā making five-headed Brahmā into fourheaded. The angered Brahmā cursed Śiva “May you go begging with a Kapāla (human skull) in your hand.” Thus Śiva became a Kapālī. Śiva cursed Brahmā back saying “You will not be worshipped by anyone” (See under Śiva, Brahmā).