Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81
प्रेतलोके स वसति ततः संवत्सरं नरः । वत्सरेण च तेनास्य शरीरमभिजायते
pretaloke sa vasati tataḥ saṃvatsaraṃ naraḥ | vatsareṇa ca tenāsya śarīramabhijāyate
وہاں وہ شخص ایک برس تک پریت لوک میں رہتا ہے؛ اور اس برس کے پورا ہونے پر اس کے لیے ایک جسم بن جاتا ہے۔
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)
Scene: A lone preta in a dim liminal realm, counting the passage of a year; a faint, forming body (liṅga-śarīra) suggested as a subtle silhouette, with distant ritual smoke from the human world.
FAQs
The departed undergoes an intermediate preta-state; time and rites are understood to aid the soul’s transition.
No tīrtha is named; the verse focuses on the preta-state timeline and embodiment process.
Indirectly supports the importance of year-long post-death observances, later specified as offerings and śrāddha.