Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

भूतैः प्रेतैः पिशाचैश्च यत्स्थानं समधिष्ठितम् । एकावि चाष्टबालेयं त्रिगवं पञ्चमाहिषम् । षडश्वं सप्तमातंगं तद्गृहे वसतिस्तव

Transliteration

bhūtaiḥ pretaiḥ piśācaiśca yatsthānaṃ samadhiṣṭhitam | ekāvi cāṣṭabāleyaṃ trigavaṃ pañcamāhiṣam | ṣaḍaśvaṃ saptamātaṃgaṃ tadgṛhe vasatistava

Translation

สถานที่ใดถูกครอบครองด้วยภูต เปรต และปิศาจ—ข้าแต่เทวี ที่นั่นแลคืออาศรมของพระองค์: ที่ซึ่งมีแกะหนึ่งตัว ลูกโคเพศผู้แปดตัว โคสามตัว ควายห้าตัว ม้าหกตัว และช้างเจ็ดเชือก—ในเรือนนั้นคือที่ประทับของพระองค์

Word by Word

• भूतैः: by/with beings (spirits)
• भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental); बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रेतैः: by/with pretas (ghosts)
• प्रेतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental); बहुवचन (Plural)

• पिशाचैः: by/with piśācas (goblins)
• पिशाचैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental); बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.); एकवचन (Singular)

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.); एकवचन (Singular)

• समधिष्ठितम्: occupied; inhabited
• समधिष्ठितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अधि + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (occupied/inhabited)

• एकावि: one sheep
• एकावि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + अवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्विगु (एकः अविः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• अष्टबालेयम्: eight young ones (calves/children)
• अष्टबालेयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + बालेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्विगु (अष्ट बालेयाः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• त्रिगवम्: three cows
• त्रिगवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्विगु (त्रयः गावः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• पञ्चमाहिषम्: five buffaloes
• पञ्चमाहिषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + माहिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्विगु (पञ्च महिषाः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• षडश्वम्: six horses
• षडश्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्विगु (षट् अश्वाः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• सप्तमातङ्गम्: seven elephants
• सप्तमातङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + मातङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्विगु (सप्त मातङ्गाः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative); एकवचन

• वसतिः: dwelling; residence
• वसतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); एकवचन

• तव: of you; your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive); एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (Kumāra) (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liminal courtyard at night: faint silhouettes of bhūtas/pretas/piśācas at the edges; domestic animals enumerated—sheep, calves, cows, buffaloes, horses, elephants—arranged symbolically; a goddess presence presiding over the uncanny scene.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūta
• Preta
• Piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Impure conditions and disorderly living are portrayed as inviting lower spirits; dharmic order and purity protect the home.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; the verse functions as a diagnostic sign-list for spiritual affliction.