548
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 3, Ch. 14]
TRANSLATION
This particular time is most inauspicious because at this time the horrible looking ghosts and constant companions of the lord of the ghosts are visible.
PURPORT
Kaśyapa has already informed his wife, Diti, to wait for a while, and now he warns her that failure to consider the particular time will result in punishment from the ghosts and evil spirits who move during this time, along with their master, Lord Rudra.
TEXT 24
एतस्यां साध्वि सन्ध्यायां भगवान् भूतभावनः । परीतो भूतपर्षद्धिर्वृषणाटति भूतराट् ॥२४॥
etasyām sādhvi sandhyāyām bhagavān bhūta-bhāvanaḥ parīto bhūta-parṣadbhir vṛṣeṇāṭati bhūtarāṭ
etasyām —in this period;  sādhvi —O chaste one;  sandhyāyām —at the junction of day and night (evening);  bhagavān —the Personality of God;  bhūta-bhāvanaḥ —the well-wisher of the ghostly characters;  parītaḥ —surrounded by;  bhūta-parṣadbhiḥ —by ghostly companions;  vṛṣeṇa —on the back of the bull carrier;  aṭati —travels;  bhūtarāṭ —the king of the ghosts.
TRANSLATION
Lord Śiva, the King of the ghosts, sitting on the back of his bull carrier, travels at this time, accompanied by ghosts who follow him for their welfare.
PURPORT
Lord Śiva, or Rudra, is the King of the ghosts. Ghostly characters worship Lord Śiva to be gradually guided toward a path of self-realization. Māyāvādī philosophers are mostly worshipers of Lord Śiva, and Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Śiva for preaching godlessness to the Māyāvādī philosophers. Ghosts are bereft of a physical body because of their grievously sinful acts, such as suicide. The last resort of the ghostly characters in human society is to take shelter of suicide, either material or spiritual. Material suicide causes loss of the physical body,