Skandapurana 16.167

Īśvara said: / Then one should go, O great goddess, to Bhūtamātṛkā situated there, / standing a hundred dhanus to the west of Sāvitrī, / accompanied by ninety million gaṇas, crowded with spirits and ghosts, / worshiped manifoldly by siddhas, gandharvas, gods, and others. // 2

The goddess said: / Shouting 'Mother of Spirits!', people rejoice in every village and town; / singing, dancing, and laughing, they run about in all directions. // 3

A person babbles like a madman, falls on the earth like a drunkard, / runs at others like one enraged, and is dragged like a corpse. // 4

Like one possessed by wind, people convulse with spasms, / and like spirits they plunge into ash, urine, water, and mud. // 5

Is this a path prescribed by the scriptures, or is it merely worldly? / My mind is bewildered, O Lord; therefore, you ought to speak. // 6

How should she be worshiped by men dwelling in Prabhāsa sacred field? / Why did that goddess go there? At what time did she arrive? / On what day and in which month should her great festival be celebrated? // 7

Īśvara said: / Listen, O goddess, I shall explain whatever is in your mind; / my conviction is that [such people] are faithful and endowed with belief. // 8

When the interval of Cākṣuṣa had passed and the interval of Vaivasvata had arrived, / then, because of the insult by Dakṣa, the Daughter of the Mountain was born. // 9

In the second Dvāpara age, you were indeed given to me by the Mountain, / and a marriage delightful to all the gods took place. // 10

Formerly, together with you in the beautiful caves of Mount Mandara, / I sported with delight using celestial playthings, O beloved, / you who were shining with large, raised hips and prominent breasts. // 11

Seeing you joyous, with a face like a white lotus and radiant with great splendour, / like a shoot emerging from the bulb of the burnt tree of Desire, / resting upon a precious bed, I then made love to you. // 12

When a hundred celestial years had elapsed in your sexual embrace, / then, O goddess, rising up from the embrace, you went outside. // 13

From your water there arose a woman with a hollow belly, / black, with a terrifying face, reddish-brown eyes, and disheveled hair, // 14

adorned with a garland of skulls, with half-lumps of severed heads tied [to her], / holding a skull-topped staff and a skeleton, carrying headless trunks and severed heads in her hands, auspicious. // 15

wearing a leopard-skin garment, with a girdle of ringing bells, / making the sound of a *ḍamaru* drum, and filling the sky with howling shrieks. // 16

And there were others standing at her side—hear their names from me: / female companions, Brahmin-rākṣasīs, fair to look upon. // 17

Divided into a hundred million varieties, they stood pervading the earth; / four among them were foremost, possessed of great strength and valor: // 18

Raktavarṇā, Mahājihvā, Akṣayā, and Pāpakāriṇī. / From their lineage were born the brahmarākṣasas upon earth. // 19

They usually make their dwelling in the *śleṣmātaka* tree; / agitated like lofty palm trees, they dance and laugh. // 20

They are to be known as the chief leaders of spirits in this world; / extremely dark, they wander among intermediary realms. // 21

They roam the space of the sky just to the height of treetops, without a doubt. // 22

Likewise, indeed from my seed, a male was born bearing my form and ornaments, / holding a skull-bowl and a skull-staff, and wrapped in an animal skin. // 23

He was followed by many fearsome spirits / with the faces of lions and tigers, scratching the sky with their faces. // 24

Thus born then, O goddess, overcome by hunger, he spoke to me. / Therefore, seeing him hungry, I granted him this boon: // 25

‘Let everything take place for both of you entirely at night through the touch of your hands; / and at night you two shall be mighty, but by day not very strong. / Protect the worlds like sons, and let dharma be preserved.’ // 26

When those two—the host of spirits and mothers—had thus been addressed by me there, my dear, / born from Bhavānī and Bhava, they became united in a single moment. // 27

Seeing them, I was delighted in mind and said to you, O lady of pure smiles: // 28

‘O auspicious one, see, see these two born from my portion, / bearing the repulsive, the marvelous, and the erotic, provoking laughter! // 29

“Bhrātṛbhāṇḍā”, “Mother of Spirits”, and likewise “Attendant of the Waters”— / three names are remembered, O goddess, renowned in the world for their power.’ // 30

Having folded their hands in reverence again upon seeing me, they then spoke: / ‘O Lord, in which place will our dwelling be?’ // 31

When they had spoken thus, they were indulged there by me with a boon: / ‘There is in the region of Saurāṣṭra, in Bhārata, an excellent sacred field, // 32

renowned as Prabhāsa; there is peace, dear to me. / It is situated in the southwest portion of the Tortoise, in the far south, // 33

where the triad of asterisms is remembered as Svātī, Viśākhā, and Maitra. / In that place you must always reside until the end of the manvantara. // 34

At other times, O lover of spirits, I declare your constant livelihood: // 35

Where there are thorny trees, where there is a creeping flat-bean vine, / a remarried wife, and an ant-hill—those are your long-lasting dwellings. // 36

In a house where there are five men, three women, and as many cows, / and a fire of wet fuel in darkness—in that house is your dwelling. // 37

A place inhabited by bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas, / [a house with] one sheep, eight donkeys, three cows, five buffaloes, / six horses, and seven elephants—in that house is your dwelling. // 38

A basket of wild grain, likewise vessels such as cooking pots, / wherever thrown carelessly here and there—that is your shelter. // 39

Where women sit on the pestle and mortar, and likewise on the threshold, / and where there is harsh speech—there, O goddess, is your abode. // 40

In a house where grains, whether cooked or uncooked, are eaten, / and likewise their stalks—there you shall wander together with spirits. // 41

Where agitated men place fire upon the lid of a cooking pot, / in that house is the refuge of all misfortune. // 42

In a house where a human bone remains day and night, / there this multitude of spirits shall wander at will. // 43

Where people do not proclaim the Wielder of the Pināka Bow as superior to all, / but speak of him as ordinary—enter there together with the spirits! // 44

In a house where there is the creeper called Kanyā, Rohī, or Jaṭī, / or an Agastya tree, or a Bandhujīva in their houses, // 45

especially the oleander, and likewise the Nandyāvarta, / or jasmine in their house—that house is indeed fit for spirits. // 46

A palmyra, a tamāla, a bhallāta, or a grove of tamarind trees, / a bakula, a plantain grove, a kadamba, or even a khadira tree, // 47

a banyan in the house of those who have it, or a sacred fig, or a mango, / a cluster fig, and a jackfruit—that is indeed dear to all spirits. // 48

Where there is a crow's nest, whether in a garden or in a house, / and where there is an image of an ascetic, likewise in the southern part of the house, // 49

and where an image is set facing upward—there is the dwelling of spirits. // 50

Where there is no worship of the liṅga, where there is no recitation of mantras and the like, / where they are devoid of devotion—one should declare those to be houses of spirits. // 51

The mortals who have filthy faces, who wear dirty clothes, / the householders who have dirty teeth—enter their house! // 52

Those who indulge in forbidden intercourse through transgression, / and who engage in intercourse at twilight—enter their house! // 53

What need of much prattle? Those excluded from daily rites, / those devoid of devotion to Rudra—enter their house! // 54

He who eats food without giving food and water to his relatives, / to sapinda and sodaka kinsmen—seize those men immediately! // 55

Where wife and husband are hostile to each other, / enter his house along with spirits, freed from fear. // 56

Where there is no delight in Vāsudeva, where Hari is never present, / where there is no recitation, oblation, and the like, and no sacred ash in the house of men, // 57

and where there is no worship even on festival days, especially on the fourteenth lunar day; // 58

and the mortals who, on the dark eighth day, are devoid of sacred ash at twilight, / and where they do not worship Mahādeva on the fifteenth day; // 59

where the great festivals formerly celebrated by citizens and villagers / are no longer performed as before—that house is your dwelling.’ // 60

Where there is no recitation of the Veda, and no worship of the guru and the like, / and where rites for the ancestors are neglected, that is regarded as a ghost's house. // 61

In whichever house quarrels arise between one another night after night, / while children watch, and where the elder eats beforehand— / enter there, joyful, together with the spirits! // 62

'In which month and on which day will I be worshipped by the people?' / Thus addressed by her, O goddess, I spoke to her again, O beloved: // 63

'On the new moon day in the month of Mādhava, and on the fourteenth lunar day thereof, / on that [day] there will be your ancient grand festival. // 64

Which women shall worship you at that time, during the grand festival, / with offerings, flowers, and incense—do not enter their house! // 65

Those people who [call out]: 'O Nārāyaṇa, O Hṛṣīkeśa, O lotus-eyed one, O Mādhava! / O Acyuta, O Ananta, O Govinda, O Vāsudeva, O Janārdana! // 66

O Nṛsiṃha, O Vāmana, O Inconceivable One, O Keśava!' / and: 'O Rudra, Rudra, Rudra! Reverence, reverence to Śiva!'— // 67

who constantly speak [these names] rejoicing—into their storehouses of wealth and the like, / into their garden, and into their cow-pen, by no means enter! // 68

Those men who observe regional customs, caste duties, recitation, fire oblations, auspicious rites, / worship of the deities according to the rules, and bodily purity, / and those who are fearful of public disgrace—do not enter among them!' // 69

The goddess said: / When should the worship of the Mother of Spirits be performed by men / desiring happiness, O Lord of the gods of gods? You ought to tell me this. // 70

Īśvara said: / Everywhere this Blessed Goddess, who brings welfare to children, / is worshipped under diverse names, at different times, and with varied rituals. // 71

From the first day onwards in the month of Vaiśākha until the fourteenth lunar day, / worship should be performed for that long with pantomimes and spectacles. // 72

And who with devotion sprinkle with pots full of water this [goddess], / even if broken, who stands at the foot of an old tree, // 73

and worships her with neck-threads, red lead, flowers, and incense; / there the sacred fig tree must be worshipped, and one should cast down its branch. // 74

Having beheld her worshipped with effort by men desiring good fortune, / one should feed [her] with porridge, barley cakes, khicḍī, sweet pastries, and milk-rice. // 75

A man who performs the rite in this way with a spirit of devotion / obtains an increase of sons and cattle, and bodily health. // 76

In his house, neither śākinīs, nor piśācas, nor rākṣasas / cause affliction; his children attain growth free from sickness. // 77

Now, O goddess, I shall explain in proper order from the first day onwards / how the festival is to be celebrated by men with pantomimes and spectacles. // 78

By pointing out the fruits of wicked deeds, through satires of heretics, / it is shown by men intent on humor with astonishing antics: // 79

Especially on the fifth [day], O fair one, there is uproar at night; / one should keep vigil then, having carefully worshipped the Goddess. // 80

'Having gained trust, the master who recited scripture was slain out of greed for wealth! / Behold this man being mounted onto the tip of a stake, O people! // 81

Have you seen that wicked violator of another's wife? / His two hands having been cut off with a sword, mounted on a donkey he goes! // 82

And the one mangled in the sword-leafed forest, [now] adorned with ornaments, / seated upon an easy palanquin—that virtuous man goes happily!' // 83

'O people, do you not see that foremost betrayer of his master / being torn apart with saws, his insides gushing blood? // 84

This thief has indeed been caught, the great agitator of all! / Struck with blows of a staff, he is led away by the wardens' nooses. // 85

Surrounded by spectators, howling incessantly with diverse cries, / bound and led to be killed, he hangs his head in shame, O people!' // 86

'Do you not see him with white hair, white beard, clad in white clothes and banner, / being beaten with cornices and the like by slave-girls? // 87

Taking me, a widow, out of the house and bringing me to his home, he had intercourse with me! / Why does this fool not provide maintenance and food?' // 88

'Wearing terrible ornaments, the ringleader, his eyes constantly rolling, / looking foolish as if overtaken by lethargy, is to be executed here and there!' // 89

'What disillusionment in his heart arose from wealth, field, and the like, / that this great vow has been taken today even by this boy? / Why do you not quickly look at him, with red eyes and a body black as a crow?' // 90

Having bound those residing in tree hollows, and others likewise with chains, / cut to pieces with heaps of arrows and sticks, // 91

emitting yells and growls—behold the heavy blows! // 92

'Will you seize this evil-souled woman whose face is half-black? / Behold her dancing with dishevelled hair, like a yoginī!' // 93

With a wild, frantic dance increasing to the deep sound of anklets, / with crazed eyes and feet, this troop of children moves along. // 94

Wearing a basket hung at the hips and a shining blanket, / a dancing actress indeed roams all around the earth from house to house. // 95

With such pantomimes and spectacles daily, / the great man, surrounded by sons, brothers, and friends, should encourage them thus. // 96

On the eleventh or the ninth [day], having lit a lamp in a hollow basin, / right there [one should make] masks fashioned of plaster and wood; // 97

one should have diverse, highly valuable, terrible, and peaceful masks made: / of the Mothers, Caṇḍikā and others, and likewise of rākṣasas, // 98

and of bhūtas, pretas, piśācas, and likewise of śākinīs; / one should have faces made there displaying various moods and emotions. // 99

Guarded by many guards, preceded by whistling and roaring sounds, / on the new moon day, O Great Goddess, a man should offer it in the order of worship. // 100

Then, at the time of dusk, where the Goddess is surrounded by the people, / one should go there with great shouts, chanting filled with shrieks. // 101

According to the rite of the heroes' practice, one should carry it around the city at night; / that lamp, which accomplishes all purposes, is called the 'heroes' practice'. // 102

Daily he should bring out the lamp until the fifteenth lunar day; / on the fifteenth he should celebrate the grand festival of the Mother of Spirits; / as long as he lives as master in that house, no obstacle will arise in the home. // 103

Then, after a period of time had passed, from the body of the Mother of spirits (Bhūtamātṛ), / from drops of sweat, fifty million piśācas were born. (104)

They all had cruel faces, their tongues like flames, their bellies emaciated; / using their hands as bowls, those piśācas fed upon cast-off offerings. (105)

Covered with veins, withered, bearded, clad in hides, / having wooden mortars as ornaments, with winnowing baskets for umbrellas, seats, and garments, (106)

having burning hair at night, indeed spitting out burning coals— / those coal-like piśācas followed the way of the Mother. (107)

With mouths torn open to the ears, drooping brows, and thick noses, / those mighty piśācas indeed dwelt in lying-in chambers. (108)

Having their hands and feet backward, moving backward with the swiftness of the wind, / terrifying, those piśācas fed on raw flesh in battle. (109)

Seeing such piśācas, out of compassion for the wretched, / out of mercy I spoke a little to those feeble-minded beings: (110)

‘Invisibility within the bodies of creatures, the power to change shape at will, / wandering at both twilights, your dwelling places, and likewise your livelihood; (111)

houses that are bare, empty temples, / and those that are ruined and stripped of decoration, (112)

highways, side streets, crossroads, and junctions of three roads, / gates, watchtowers, exits, and causeways, (113)

paths, rivers, sacred fords, sacred caitya trees, and great roads— / these places I have given as dwellings for the piśācas, O dear one. (114)

Unrighteous people were formerly ordained as their livelihood, / along with those devoid of the conduct of the classes and life-stages, as well as artisans and craftsmen, (115)

those who cause remorse to good people, thieves, and betrayers of trust. / When any rites are undertaken with wealth unjustly acquired (116)

by these and many others, the piśācas are the deities there. / On a day in the spring month, with curd, sesame powder, and intoxicating liquors, (117)

with cakes, turmeric-infused khichdi, sesame seeds, sugarcane, molasses, and boiled rice, / and with black garments and smoky-colored flowers, (118)

the auspicious goddess was made by me for all bhūtas and piśācas.’ / Such is the Mother of spirits, surrounded by all the host of bhūtas. (119)

The goddess is situated in Prabhāsa, to the north of the ocean. / Whoever knows this origin of the goddess, which destroys sin, (120)

his lineage shall never become vile, / nor is he overcome by the afflictions of bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas. (121)

Freed from all sin, endowed with all good fortune, / he attains all desires, bringing joy to the hearts of women. (122)

Those who honor through worship the fear-dispelling Mother of spirits of the world, with playful charms of their own smiles, / become happy, accompanied by brothers, servants, sons, and relatives, and free from all afflictions. (123)

Thus ends the one hundred sixty-seventh chapter, named ‘Description of the Māhātmya of Bhūtamātṛkā,’ in the first [sub-section], the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya, in the seventh Prabhāsakhaṇḍa of the glorious Skandapurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand verses. (167)