Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 129

Devanagari script

मासद्वयं प्रतीक्षंते गृहद्वारं समाश्रिताः । वायुभूताः पिपासार्ताः क्षुत्क्षामाः पितरो नृणाम्

Transliteration

māsadvayaṃ pratīkṣaṃte gṛhadvāraṃ samāśritāḥ | vāyubhūtāḥ pipāsārtāḥ kṣutkṣāmāḥ pitaro nṛṇām

Translation

ปิตฤของมนุษย์ทั้งหลายเฝ้ารออยู่สองเดือน โดยอาศัยอยู่ ณ ประตูเรือน กลายเป็นดุจลมอันละเอียด ถูกความกระหายเผาผลาญและอ่อนแรงด้วยความหิว

Word by Word

• मासद्वयम्: two months (a period of two months)
• मासद्वयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (संख्यापूर्वकः)

• प्रतीक्षन्ते: they wait
• प्रतीक्षन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• गृहद्वारम्: the house-door/doorway
• गृहद्वारम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गृहस्य द्वारम्)

• समाश्रिताः: having resorted to; staying at
• समाश्रिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु) → समाश्रित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले; विशेषणम् (पितरः)

• वायुभूताः: become like air; airy/ethereal
• वायुभूताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वायुरिव/वायुरूपेण भूताः) विशेषणम् (पितरः)

• पिपासार्ताः: afflicted by thirst
• पिपासार्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिपासा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पिपासया आर्ताः) विशेषणम् (पितरः)

• क्षुत्क्षामाः: emaciated by hunger
• क्षुत्क्षामाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (क्षुधा क्षामाः) विशेषणम् (पितरः)

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

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-month vigil: translucent wind-like pitṛ forms swirl near a doorway, hands extended; inside, a family prepares offerings; the air is depicted as moving currents, emphasizing ‘vāyu-bhūtāḥ’.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household dharma includes care for the unseen ancestral presence; offerings are framed as immediate relief to Pitṛs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse focuses on the home-centered dimension of Pitṛ expectation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śrāddha/tarpaṇa in due time so that ancestors need not ‘wait’ in hunger and thirst.