Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

भूरुहे भूधराग्रे च गंधर्वनगरालयम् । दिवापिशाच नृत्यं च एते पंचत्वहेतवः

Transliteration

bhūruhe bhūdharāgre ca gaṃdharvanagarālayam | divāpiśāca nṛtyaṃ ca ete paṃcatvahetavaḥ

Translation

যদি গাছে বা পর্বতশিখরে ‘গন্ধর্ব-নগর’ (মৃগমরীচিকা সদৃশ দৃশ্য) দেখা যায়, এবং দিবালোকেই পিশাচদের নৃত্য দেখা যায়—এগুলি মৃত্যুর (পঞ্চত্বের) কারণ-লক্ষণ বলে কথিত।

Word by Word

• भूरुहे: on a tree
• भूरुहे: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular; ‘भूरुहे’ इति)

• भूधर-अग्रे: on the mountain-top
• भूधर-अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूधर (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूधरस्य अग्रे)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गन्धर्व-नगर-आलयम्: a ‘gandharva-city’ apparition (celestial city dwelling)
• गन्धर्व-नगर-आलयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नगर (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (गन्धर्वाणां नगरस्य आलयम्/आश्रयः)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक/adverb of time)

• पिशाच-नृत्यम्: dance of piśācas
• पिशाच-नृत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक) + नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पिशाचस्य/पिशाचानां नृत्यम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (demonstrative pronoun)

• पञ्चत्व-हेतवः: causes of death
• पञ्चत्व-हेतवः: Karta (Predicate Noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चत्व (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पञ्चत्वस्य हेतवः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spectral ‘Gandharva-city’—a shimmering palace-like mirage—appears improbably resting on a tree canopy and on a mountain peak; in bright daylight, shadowy piśācas dance at the edge of vision, while a pilgrim recoils in dread.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Piśācas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa frames uncanny perceptions as reminders to turn toward dharma, repentance, and God-remembrance without delay.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated in Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred landscape (Kāśī/Varanasi), emphasizing spiritual urgency in a holy place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse identifies ominous visions as warning-signs.