Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 147

Devanagari script

बहूदके च यः स्नात्वा सप्तम्यां माघमासके । दद्यात्पिंडं पितॄणां च तेऽक्ष्यां तृप्तिमाप्नुयुः

Transliteration

bahūdake ca yaḥ snātvā saptamyāṃ māghamāsake | dadyātpiṃḍaṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca te'kṣyāṃ tṛptimāpnuyuḥ

Translation

And whoever bathes at Bahūdaka on the seventh lunar day in the month of Māgha and offers piṇḍa to the ancestors—those forefathers attain imperishable satisfaction.

Word by Word

• बहूदके: in Bahūdaka
• बहूदके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहूदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

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

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund/absolutive)

• सप्तम्याम्: on the seventh (lunar day)
• सप्तम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular); तिथिवाचक

• माघमासके: in the month of Māgha
• माघमासके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ + मासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• पितॄणाम्: for the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

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

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (nominative plural)

• अक्षयाम्: imperishable
• अक्षयाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular); ‘अक्षयां (तृप्तिम्)’—विशेषणम्

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction, contentment
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• आप्नुयुः: may attain
• आप्नुयुः: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Bāla

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bahūdaka-kuṇḍa

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee bathes in the kuṇḍa on Māgha saptamī, then on the bank offers piṇḍas with kuśa grass and water-libations; subtle ancestral presence is suggested as a calm, satisfied aura.

Characters & Entities

• Bahūdaka
• Pitṛs (Ancestors)
• Māgha
• Saptamī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes gratitude to lineage: tīrtha-bathing combined with ancestral offerings yields lasting spiritual benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bahūdaka tīrtha/kuṇḍa is praised as a powerful place for Māgha observances and pitṛ rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Māgha month Saptamī: bathe at Bahūdaka and offer piṇḍa to the pitṛs for akṣaya-tṛpti.