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

ഇതുതന്നെയാണ് നിങ്ങളുടെ കാര്യത്തിലും കാരണമെന്നു പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്; നിങ്ങൾ പറഞ്ഞ വിശപ്പും ദാഹവും മൂലമുണ്ടാകുന്ന ആ ഭീകരാവസ്ഥ ഇതേ (വിധിപൂർവ്വ അർപ്പണ-തർപ്പണം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കൽ) കാരണം കൊണ്ടാണ് ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നത്।

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.