Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 89
पुण्यं तान्येव भूतानि ग्रसंत्याक्रम्य देवताः । ततो देवाः क्षुधार्त्तास्ते गुहायैतन्न्यवेदयन्
puṇyaṃ tānyeva bhūtāni grasaṃtyākramya devatāḥ | tato devāḥ kṣudhārttāste guhāyaitannyavedayan
เหล่าภูตเหล่านั้นเองได้เข้าครอบงำเหล่าเทวะ แล้วเริ่มกลืนกินบุญ (ปุณยะ) ของเทวะทั้งหลาย ครั้นแล้วเหล่าเทวะผู้ทุกข์ทรมานด้วยความหิว จึงกราบทูลเรื่องนี้แก่คุหา
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)
Scene: Shadowy bhūta hosts overwhelm divine beings and ‘consume’ their merit; devas appear weakened and hungry, then approach Guha to report the crisis.
FAQs
Merit (puṇya) is portrayed as a real spiritual resource that must be protected through dharmic order under divine guardianship.
No site is named in this verse; it is part of the mythic account connected to the surrounding sthala narrative.
None; the verse narrates a conflict and the gods’ appeal to Guha.