Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

यजंते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतपिशाचांश्च यजंते तामसा जनाः

Transliteration

yajaṃte sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ | pretānbhūtapiśācāṃśca yajaṃte tāmasā janāḥ

Translation

ساتتوِک مزاج والے دیوتاؤں کی پوجا کرتے ہیں؛ راجسِک یَکشوں اور راکشسوں کی؛ اور تامسِک لوگ پریت، بھوت اور پِشाचوں کی پوجا کرتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• यजन्ते: worship
• यजन्ते: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• सात्त्विकाः: sattvic people
• सात्त्विकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-शब्दः (used substantively)

• देवान्: gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• यक्षरक्षांसि: yakṣas and rākṣasas
• यक्षरक्षांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (yakṣa-and-rākṣasa)

• राजसाः: rajasic people
• राजसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-शब्दः (used substantively)

• प्रेतान्: spirits (pretas)
• प्रेतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• भूतपिशाचान्: bhūtas and piśācas
• भूतपिशाचान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यजन्ते: worship
• यजन्ते: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• तामसाः: tamasic people
• तामसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-शब्दः (used substantively)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tripartite tableau: left—devas receiving pure offerings; center—yakṣa/rākṣasa figures with opulent, power-seeking worship; right—shadowy cremation-ground spirits with fear-driven rites; a narrator points to each as a moral lesson.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Pretas
• Bhūtas
• Piśācas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The object of worship reflects one’s inner guṇa; refine conduct and intention to move toward sāttvika worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is praised; the verse is a general teaching on guṇa-based worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Choose worship aligned with purity (sattva)—worship of devas rather than spirit-entities associated with tamas.