Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73
श्मशानं चापि संसारस्तद्वासी कृपयार्थिनाम् । भूतयः कथिता भूतिस्तां बिभर्ति स भूतिभृत्
śmaśānaṃ cāpi saṃsārastadvāsī kṛpayārthinām | bhūtayaḥ kathitā bhūtistāṃ bibharti sa bhūtibhṛt
ଏହି ସଂସାର ମଧ୍ୟ ଶ୍ମଶାନ ସଦୃଶ; କୃପା ଅର୍ଥୀମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ସେ ସେଠାରେ ବାସ କରନ୍ତି। ‘ଭୂତି’ ବୋଲି ଭୂତଗଣକୁ କୁହାଯାଏ; ତାହାକୁ ସେ ଧାରଣ କରନ୍ତି, ତେଣୁ ସେ ‘ଭୂତିଭୃତ୍’।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration
Tirtha: Śmaśāna (archetypal) / Bhūtapati-sthāna (conceptual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Brāhmaṇa (bhāṣiṣṭha)
Scene: A cremation-ground that subtly morphs into the whole world: pyres become city lights, skulls become mountains, smoke becomes clouds. Śiva sits in compassionate stillness, ash-smeared, surrounded by bhūta-gaṇas who appear as redeemed attendants; a seeker approaches in sorrow and finds refuge.
FAQs
Seeing saṃsāra as impermanent like a cremation-ground turns the mind toward Śiva, who grants refuge and compassion.
No named tīrtha appears; the verse uses the śmaśāna motif associated broadly with Śaiva sacred culture.
None directly; the verse explains the epithet Bhūtibhṛt through symbolic theology.