attain
their sixteenth year, these spirits exercise their influence for evil,
and after that, for good. The whole body of male and female spirits that
I have now described are always denominated by men as the spirits of
Skanda. They are propitiated with burnt offerings, ablutions, unguents,
sacrifices and other offerings, and particularly by the worship of
Skanda. And, O king, when they are honoured and worshipped with due
reverence, they bestow on men whatever is good for them, as also valour
and long life. And now having bowed down to Maheswara, I shall describe
the nature of those spirits who influence the destinies of men after they
have attained their sixteenth year.

"The man who beholds gods while sleeping, or in a wakeful state soon
turns mad, and the spirit under whose influence these hallucinations take
place is called the celestial spirit. When a person beholds his dead
ancestors while he is seated at ease, or lying in his bed, he soon loses
his reason, and the spirit which causes this illusion of sensible
perception, is called the ancestral spirit. The man who shows disrespect
to the Siddhas and who is cursed by them in return, soon runs mad and the
evil influence by which this is brought about, is called the Siddha
spirit. And the spirit by whose influence a man smells sweet odour, and
becomes cognisant of various tastes (when there are no odoriferous or
tasteful substances about him) and soon becomes tormented, is called the
Rakshasa spirit. And the spirit by whose action celestial musicians
(Gandharvas) blend their existence into the constitution of a human
being, and make him run mad in no time, is called the Gandharva spirit.
And that evil spirit by whose influence men are always tormented by
Pisachas, is called the Paisacha spirit. When the spirit of Yakshas
enters into the system of a human being by some accident, he loses his
reason immediately, and such a spirit is called the Yaksha spirit. The
man who loses his reason on account of his mind being demoralised with
vices, runs mad in no time, and his illness must be remedied according to
methods prescribed in the Sastras. Men also run mad from perplexity, from
fear, as also on beholding hideous sights. The remedy lies in quieting
their minds. There are three classes of spirits, some are frolicsome,
some are gluttonous, and some sensual. Until men attain the age of three
score and ten, these evil influences continue to torment them, and then
fever bec