Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24
विषादग्नेः कुलघ्नानां तया चैवात्मघातिनाम् । दंष्ट्रिभिर्हतदेहानां शृंगिभिश्च सुरेश्वर । प्रेतत्वं जायते नूनं सत्यमेतदसंशयम्
viṣādagneḥ kulaghnānāṃ tayā caivātmaghātinām | daṃṣṭribhirhatadehānāṃ śṛṃgibhiśca sureśvara | pretatvaṃ jāyate nūnaṃ satyametadasaṃśayam
Bagi mereka yang dilalap api keputusasaan, para pembunuh keturunan, demikian juga para pembunuh diri; dan bagi mereka yang jasadnya dibunuh oleh binatang bertaring serta makhluk bertanduk—wahai Tuhan para dewa—keadaan preta pasti timbul. Inilah kebenaran, tanpa syak.
Viṣṇu
Listener: Audience of the māhātmya; immediate speakers are within a deva-dialogue
Scene: A liminal cremation-ground vision: afflicted pretas hovering near a śmaśāna, with Indra and the Lord (Madhusūdana) in dialogue, emphasizing compassion and the gravity of viṣāda and transgressive deaths.
FAQs
Despair, self-harm, and grievous social sin (kulaghna) are portrayed as producing preta-bhāva; Purāṇic dharma urges steadiness, restraint, and protection of life and lineage.
The Adhyāya’s underlying tīrtha frame is Dhārātīrtha, though this verse broadens into general causes of preta-hood.
None explicitly; it is an ethical-doctrinal enumeration of conditions leading to preta-gati.