Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

न चाप्युदकदातासौ क्षुत्तृड्भ्यामतिपीड्यते । बांधवैस्तूदकं दत्तं नदीभूत्वोपतिष्ठति

Transliteration

na cāpyudakadātāsau kṣuttṛḍbhyāmatipīḍyate | bāṃdhavaistūdakaṃ dattaṃ nadībhūtvopatiṣṭhati

Translation

Dan seseorang yang pernah memberi air tidak terlalu diseksa oleh kelaparan dan dahaga; malah, air yang dipersembahkan oleh saudara-mara datang kepadanya, menjadi seolah-olah sebatang sungai.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• उदकदाता: the giver of water
• उदकदाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + दातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—उदकस्य दाता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• क्षुत्-तृड्भ्याम्: by hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्-तृड्भ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तृष्/तृड् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व—क्षुत् च तृड् च (hunger and thirst)

• अतिपीड्यते: is severely afflicted
• अतिपीड्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति√पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

• बान्धवैः: by relatives
• बान्धवैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Contrast)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/however)

• उदकम्: water
• उदकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here: subject of उपतिष्ठति)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘given’ (qualifies उदकम्)

• नदीभूत्वा: having become (like) a river
• नदीभूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक) + √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund); ‘नदी’ उपपद-समास/उपपद-योगः; अर्थः—नदीरूपं भूत्वा (having become a river)

• उपतिष्ठति: stands by/attends; becomes available
• उपतिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A preta parched and weakened is suddenly met by a flowing river made of offered water; relatives at a ghāṭa pour udaka that becomes a luminous stream in the subtle realm.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Water charity is exalted: it alleviates suffering and ensures abundant support in the preta-state.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse praises the dharma of giving water and offering water to ancestors.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Udaka-dāna (giving water) in life and water offerings by relatives after death.