Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

कारयंति हि ये त्वज्ञाः कूटयुक्ताश्च हेतुकाः । प्रेतयोनिं प्रयास्यंति पितृभिः सह सर्वतः

Transliteration

kārayaṃti hi ye tvajñāḥ kūṭayuktāśca hetukāḥ | pretayoniṃ prayāsyaṃti pitṛbhiḥ saha sarvataḥ

Translation

แท้จริง คนเขลาผู้เจ้าเล่ห์และชอบยกเหตุอ้างต่าง ๆ ที่ชักนำให้ทำการปฏิบัติอันบกพร่อง ย่อมไปสู่กำเนิดเป็นเปรต พร้อมกับบรรพชนของตนโดยทั่วกัน

Word by Word

• कारयन्ति: cause (others) to do
• कारयन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: 'cause to do')

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/indeed)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive/and-but)

• अज्ञाः: ignorant
• अज्ञाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; अ+ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of ye)

• कूटयुक्ताः: associated with deceit/fraud
• कूटयुक्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट+युक्त (प्रातिपदिक; युज् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of ye)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• हेतुकाः: argumentative/cavilling; using pretexts
• हेतुकाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of ye)

• प्रेतयोनिम्: the preta-womb/state (ghostly birth)
• प्रेतयोनिम्: Gati-Karma (Goal as object/गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत+योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• प्रयास्यन्ति: will go/attain
• प्रयास्यन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• पितृभिः: with the ancestors
• पितृभिः: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (with)

• सर्वतः: everywhere/in all respects
• सर्वतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय; सर्व-तस्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: in every way/from all sides)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice continuing the warning)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of cunning advisers persuades a devotee to perform a flawed vow; behind them, shadowy pretas and pitṛs appear, indicating shared downfall.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Misleading others into faulty religious acts is a grave ethical wrong with consequences extending to one’s lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, as the broader narrative setting for these vrata-instructions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not commission or permit defective observances through excuses or deceit; uphold correct vrata procedure.