Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29
प्रेताः पिशाचा रक्षांसि वृथालापरतं नरम् । आविशंति तदाविष्टो वक्ताबद्धं पुनः पुनः
pretāḥ piśācā rakṣāṃsi vṛthālāparataṃ naram | āviśaṃti tadāviṣṭo vaktābaddhaṃ punaḥ punaḥ
Preta, Piśāca und Rākṣasa dringen in den Menschen ein, der dem müßigen, sinnlosen Gerede verfallen ist; von ihnen besessen, redet er immer wieder wirr und ohne Zügel.
Narrative context (Maheshvara Khanda tradition: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating a dialogue)
Listener: Bhārata (addressed figure)
Scene: A man compulsively talking, eyes unfocused; shadowy pretas/piśācas/rākṣasas enter as smoky forms around his head and mouth; the teacher-guardian points sternly, indicating the cause and consequence—speech without restraint leading to possession-like incoherence.
FAQs
Guarding one’s speech is dharma; addiction to futile talk is portrayed as spiritually dangerous and destabilizing.
No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is ethical discipline (speech-restraint) within the Purāṇic teaching.
No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the implied discipline is vāg-niyama—restraint and purity of speech.