Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

अशुचिर्देवताश्चैव यदा पुजयते नरः । तदा भूतान्या विशंति स च मुह्यति तत्क्षणात्

Transliteration

aśucirdevatāścaiva yadā pujayate naraḥ | tadā bhūtānyā viśaṃti sa ca muhyati tatkṣaṇāt

Translation

അശുചിയായ മനുഷ്യൻ ദേവതകളെ പൂജിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ഭൂതങ്ങൾ അവനിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കുന്നു; അവൻ അതേ ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ മോഹിതനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अशुचिः: impure
• अशुचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• देवताः: deities
• देवताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic/indeed)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction: when)

• पूजयते: worships
• पूजयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• भूतानि: spirits/beings
• भूतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आ: towards/into (intensifier)
• आ: Upasarga (Preverb/उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (prefix-like particle with motion/intensity)

• विशन्ति: enter
• विशन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• मुह्यति: becomes deluded
• मुह्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्क्षणात्: immediately
• तत्क्षणात्: Adhikarana/Avadhi (Temporal limit/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (from that very moment/instantly)

Speaker

Bāla (continuing reply)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An impure worshipper approaches a shrine; shadowy bhūta forms swirl and enter, the person’s eyes turn confused, posture slackens; priests/devotees react with concern, lamps flicker.

Characters & Entities

• Devatās
• Bhūtas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship performed without purity and discipline can lead to confusion and negative influences rather than protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse addresses proper conditions for worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear implied rule: one should not perform pūjā while impure; maintain śauca before worship.