Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

क्षुत्पिपासोद्भवापीडा महती समजायत । तेषां च दैविकानां च पितॄणां नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

kṣutpipāsodbhavāpīḍā mahatī samajāyata | teṣāṃ ca daivikānāṃ ca pitṝṇāṃ nṛpasattama

Translation

ഹേ നൃപസത്തമാ! ആ ദൈവിക പിതൃകൾക്കും വിശപ്പും ദാഹവും മൂലമുള്ള മഹാ പീഡ ഉണ്ടായി।

Word by Word

• क्षुत्पिपासोद्भवापीडा: affliction arising from hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्पिपासोद्भवापीडा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुत् + पिपासा + उद्भव + पीडा (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; समासः—क्षुत्पिपासयोः उद्भवा पीडा (भूख-तृष्णाजन्य पीडा)

• महती: great, severe
• महती: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (पीडायाः)

• समजायत: arose, came to be
• समजायत: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

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

• दैविकानाम्: divine
• दैविकानाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैविक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (पितॄणाम्)

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

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—नृपाणां सत्तमः

Speaker

Unspecified narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya (addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpasattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark depiction of Pitṛs afflicted by hunger and thirst—divine yet suffering—conveying urgency for descendants to restore offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offerings are portrayed as real sustenance for the Pitṛs; neglect results in their distress, reinforcing the duty of śrāddha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha context is background; this verse highlights pitṛ-loka consequence rather than a place-name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, restoring proper śrāddha/tarpaṇa with food and water offerings to relieve the Pitṛs.