Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

एतद्धि कारणं प्रोक्तं युष्माकं च कथंचन । क्षुत्पिपासोद्भवं रौद्रं युष्माभिर्यदुदीरितम्

Transliteration

etaddhi kāraṇaṃ proktaṃ yuṣmākaṃ ca kathaṃcana | kṣutpipāsodbhavaṃ raudraṃ yuṣmābhiryadudīritam

Translation

Wahrlich, dies wird auch in eurem Fall als Ursache verkündet. Jener grimmige Zustand, aus Hunger und Durst geboren, von dem ihr gesprochen habt, entsteht aus der Vernachlässigung der gebührenden Opfergaben.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• कारणम्: cause, reason
• कारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: has been stated
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘said/declared’

• युष्माकम्: of you (pl.)
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कथंचन: somehow
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: somehow/in some way)

• क्षुत्पिपासोद्भवम्: arising from hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्पिपासोद्भवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पिपासा (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘क्षुत्पिपासाभ्याम् उद्भवम्’ (arising from hunger and thirst)

• रौद्रम्: fierce, dreadful
• रौद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• युष्माभिः: by you (pl.)
• युष्माभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत् (relative)

• उदीरितम्: was uttered
• उदीरितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + ईर् (धातु) → उदीरित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘uttered/mentioned’

Speaker

Pitṛgaṇa (Ancestors), concluding the causal explanation

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-like figure (or pitṛ spokesman) points to the neglected ritual space, explaining that the fierce hunger-thirst state arises from omission; the scene shifts from confusion to clarity.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (Ancestors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text frames suffering as having a dharmic cause: neglect of prescribed rites produces harsh consequences for departed beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it serves the teaching portion within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied prescription: ensure regular, correct tarpaṇa/śrāddha to prevent the ‘fierce’ hunger-and-thirst condition.