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

Quả thật, những kẻ vô minh—xảo trá và vin cớ biện luận—khiến người ta thực hành những nghi lễ lỗi lầm ấy, sẽ rơi vào loài preta, cùng với tổ tiên của mình, theo mọi bề.

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.