Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

शीतार्ता यद्वदिच्छंति वह्निं प्रावरणानि च । पितरस्तद्वदिच्छंति क्षुत्सामाश्चन्द्रसंक्षयम्

Transliteration

śītārtā yadvadicchaṃti vahniṃ prāvaraṇāni ca | pitarastadvadicchaṃti kṣutsāmāścandrasaṃkṣayam

Translation

Seperti orang yang disiksa kesejukan menginginkan api dan selimut penutup, demikian juga para Pitṛ (leluhur), yang lemah kerana lapar dan letih, menginginkan saat gelapnya Bulan (waktu bulan baharu).

Word by Word

• शीतार्ताः: afflicted by cold
• शीतार्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (शीतेन आर्ताः = afflicted by cold)

• यत्: as
• यत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थे (correlative: as/just as)

• वत्: like
• वत्: Sambandha (Comparator/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक (comparative particle: like)

• इच्छन्ति: desire
• इच्छन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• वह्निम्: fire
• वह्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रावरणानि: coverings, garments
• प्रावरणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रावरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

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

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तत्: so, in that way
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तदर्थे (correlative: so/that)

• वत्: like
• वत्: Sambandha (Comparator/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक (like)

• इच्छन्ति: desire
• इच्छन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• क्षुत्सामाः: hungry
• क्षुत्सामाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् + साम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (क्षुत्-सामाḥ = hunger-equal/like hunger; i.e., hungry)

• चन्द्रसंक्षयम्: the waning of the moon
• चन्द्रसंक्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र + संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चन्द्रस्य संक्षयः)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic narrator within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Split-scene metaphor: on one side, shivering travelers reaching toward a fire and blankets; on the other, ethereal Pitṛs with faint bodies reaching toward offerings under a darkened moon; a riverbank altar connects both.

Characters & Entities

• Pitaras
• Candra (Moon)
• Amāvāsyā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is portrayed as compassionate support to the Pitṛs; amāvāsyā is the moment they especially long for offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The focus is on the pitṛ-kāla (amāvāsyā) within a tirtha-glorifying section; the verse itself does not name a particular site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly recommends performing pitṛ offerings/śrāddha at the Moon’s waning (amāvāsyā), when the ancestors are said to be most expectant.