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

Wenn man eine «Stadt der Gandharvas» erblickt—eine miragegleiche Erscheinung, die auf einem Baum oder auf einem Berggipfel zu ruhen scheint—und zudem den Tanz der Piśācas am hellen Tage sieht, so sind dies Ursachen, Zeichen, die zum Tod führen.

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.