Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

यजंते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतपिशाचांश्च यजंते तामसा जनाः

Transliteration

yajaṃte sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ | pretānbhūtapiśācāṃśca yajaṃte tāmasā janāḥ

Translation

Die sāttvika Gesinnten verehren die Devas; die rājasika Gesinnten verehren Yakṣas und Rākṣasas; und die tāmasika Menschen verehren Pretas, Bhūtas und Piśācas.

Word by Word

• यजन्ते: worship
• यजन्ते: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• सात्त्विकाः: sattvic people
• सात्त्विकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-शब्दः (used substantively)

• देवान्: gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• यक्षरक्षांसि: yakṣas and rākṣasas
• यक्षरक्षांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (yakṣa-and-rākṣasa)

• राजसाः: rajasic people
• राजसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-शब्दः (used substantively)

• प्रेतान्: spirits (pretas)
• प्रेतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• भूतपिशाचान्: bhūtas and piśācas
• भूतपिशाचान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यजन्ते: worship
• यजन्ते: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• तामसाः: tamasic people
• तामसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-शब्दः (used substantively)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tripartite tableau: left—devas receiving pure offerings; center—yakṣa/rākṣasa figures with opulent, power-seeking worship; right—shadowy cremation-ground spirits with fear-driven rites; a narrator points to each as a moral lesson.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Pretas
• Bhūtas
• Piśācas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The object of worship reflects one’s inner guṇa; refine conduct and intention to move toward sāttvika worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is praised; the verse is a general teaching on guṇa-based worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Choose worship aligned with purity (sattva)—worship of devas rather than spirit-entities associated with tamas.