Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

पिशाचा राक्षसास्तस्य तद्विलुम्पन्त्यसंशयम् । रूपान्वितं विरूपं वा मलिनं मलिनाम्बरम्

Transliteration

piśācā rākṣasāstasya tadvilumpantyasaṃśayam | rūpānvitaṃ virūpaṃ vā malinaṃ malināmbaram

Translation

त्याचे (पुण्य/अर्पण) पिशाच व राक्षस निःसंशय लुटून नेतात—अतिथी रूपवान असो वा विरूप, स्वच्छ असो वा मळकट वस्त्रे परिधान केलेला असो.

Word by Word

• पिशाचाः: piśācas (ghouls)
• पिशाचाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• राक्षसाः: rākṣasas (demons)
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तत्: that (him/it)
• तत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object pronoun

• विलुम्पन्ति: they plunder / rob
• विलुम्पन्ति: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लुप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असंशयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (certainly/without doubt)

• रूपान्वितम्: endowed with beauty
• रूपान्वितम्: Karma (Object complement/descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—रूपेण अन्वितम् (endowed with beauty/form)

• विरूपम्: ugly / deformed
• विरूपम्: Karma (Object complement/descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विकल्पे (in alternation with rūpānvitaṃ)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• मलिनम्: dirty
• मलिनम्: Karma (Object complement/descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मलिनाम्बरम्: wearing soiled clothes
• मलिनाम्बरम्: Karma (Object complement/descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—मलिनम् अम्बरम् यस्य/यत् (having dirty garments)

Speaker

A virtuous brāhmaṇa (continuation; warning)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha milieu

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dark, shadowy piśācas and rākṣasas snatch away an unseen ‘merit’ from a negligent performer; in contrast, a humble, possibly disheveled guest stands ignored—highlighting the moral error.

Characters & Entities

• Piśāca
• Rākṣasa
• Atithi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Judging guests by external appearance is adharma; neglect causes loss of spiritual merit, described as being 'snatched' by harmful beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Revā-kṣetra narration in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Honor the guest regardless of beauty/ugliness or cleanliness/dirty clothing—especially in śrāddha context—otherwise merit is lost.