Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 161

Devanagari script

एवं ते भूतवद्देवा न हि गृह्णन्ति कर्हिचित् । शुचि कामं जुषंते न हविरश्रद्दधानतः

Transliteration

evaṃ te bhūtavaddevā na hi gṛhṇanti karhicit | śuci kāmaṃ juṣaṃte na haviraśraddadhānataḥ

Translation

Kaya nga, ang mga diyos ay hindi tumatanggap ng gayong handog kailanman, na para bang inihahain lamang sa mga espiritu. Kahit dalisay ang alay, hindi nila tinatanggap ang havis na inihahandog nang walang pananampalataya.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भूतवत्: like (mere) beings
• भूतवत्: Kriya-viseshana (Comparison/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूतवत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (like beings)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• गृह्णन्ति: accept
• गृह्णन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• कर्हिचित्: ever
• कर्हिचित्: Kriya-viseshana (Time/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हिचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (ever/at any time)

• शुचि: O pure one
• शुचि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कामम्: even if / indeed
• कामम्: Kriya-viseshana (Concession/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुमत्यर्थक (concessive: ‘even if/indeed’)

• जुषन्ते: they enjoy/partake
• जुषन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• हविः: the oblation
• हविः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अश्रद्दधानतः: from one who lacks faith / due to lack of faith
• अश्रद्दधानतः: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + श्रद्धा + धा (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धा with शतृ/शानच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle, middle): श्रद्धधान (having faith) → अश्रद्दधान (without faith); हेतौ/अपादाने (because of/from)

Speaker

Mahākāla (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahākāla explains that gods never accept offerings made as if for spirits; even pure oblations are refused when offered without faith—depict devas turning away from a faithless offering while blessing a sincere devotee.

Characters & Entities

• Devāḥ
• Bhūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner faith (śraddhā) is essential; ritual purity alone does not make an offering acceptable to the devas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the teaching is a general dharma principle on offerings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offerings (havis) should be made with śraddhā; otherwise the devas do not accept them.