Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

भूतप्रेतपिशाचाद्यैः सहस्रैरावृतः प्रभुः । ततो देवास्तथा नागा भूतवेतालखेचराः

Transliteration

bhūtapretapiśācādyaiḥ sahasrairāvṛtaḥ prabhuḥ | tato devāstathā nāgā bhūtavetālakhecarāḥ

Translation

Le Seigneur était entouré de milliers de bhūtas, pretas, piśācas et autres. Puis se rassemblèrent aussi les devas, les nāgas et des cohortes d’esprits—vetālas et autres êtres parcourant le ciel.

Word by Word

• भूत-प्रेत-पिशाच-आद्यैः: by/with beings, pretas, piśācas, etc.
• भूत-प्रेत-पिशाच-आद्यैः: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्व (भूतप्रेतपिशाचाः) + ‘आदि’ सहित (आद्यैः = आदि-शब्देन सह)

• सहस्रैः: by thousands
• सहस्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• आवृतः: surrounded
• आवृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-वृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (likewise/also)

• नागाः: nāgas (serpent-beings)
• नागाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भूत-वेताल-खेचराः: bhūtas, vetālas, and khecaras
• भूत-वेताल-खेचराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + वेताल (प्रातिपदिक) + खेचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्व (भूताश्च वेतालाश्च खेचराश्च)

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya / Gandharva-nagara vicinity (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast, layered procession: in the center Śiva’s aura; around him throngs of bhūtas and piśācas; above, khecaras; to the sides, devas with weapons and nāgas with jeweled hoods—an otherworldly convergence.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhu (Śiva)
• Bhūtas
• Pretas
• Piśācas
• Devas
• Nāgas
• Vetālas
• Khecaras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas portray Śiva as lord of all classes of beings—celestial and liminal—showing spiritual sovereignty beyond social or cosmic boundaries.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This line supports the atmosphere of the Dharmāraṇya sacred region; it does not itself name a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, listing the beings present in the divine host.