Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47
यजंते सात्त्विका देवान्यक्षरक्षांसि राजसाः । प्रेतान्भूतपिशाचांश्च यजंते तामसा जनाः
yajaṃte sāttvikā devānyakṣarakṣāṃsi rājasāḥ | pretānbhūtapiśācāṃśca yajaṃte tāmasā janāḥ
具萨埵性者礼敬诸天（deva）；具罗阇性者祭奉夜叉与罗刹；具昏暗性者则祭奉饿鬼（preta）、鬼灵（bhūta）与毗舍阇（piśāca）。
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
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.
FAQs
The object of worship reflects one’s inner guṇa; refine conduct and intention to move toward sāttvika worship.
No specific site is praised; the verse is a general teaching on guṇa-based worship.
Choose worship aligned with purity (sattva)—worship of devas rather than spirit-entities associated with tamas.