Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । अत्रिर्नाम महादेवि मानसो ब्रह्मणः सुतः । अग्निहोत्ररतो नित्यं देवतातिथिपूजकः

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | atrirnāma mahādevi mānaso brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ | agnihotrarato nityaṃ devatātithipūjakaḥ

Translation

Īśvara sprach: „O große Göttin, es gab einen Weisen namens Atri, einen geistgeborenen Sohn Brahmās. Stets war er dem Agnihotra hingegeben und unablässig darin, die Devas und die Gäste zu ehren.“

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (Lord Śiva)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अत्रिः: Atri (sage)
• अत्रिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha/Avadharana (appositive marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — ‘called/known as’

• महादेवि: O Mahādevī
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• मानसः: mind-born
• मानसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अग्निहोत्ररतः: devoted to the Agnihotra
• अग्निहोत्ररतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निहोत्र + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अग्निहोत्रे रतः)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial use of neuter accusative)

• देवताऽतिथिपूजकः: worshipper of deities and guests
• देवताऽतिथिपूजकः: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता + अतिथि + पूजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुष (देवताः च अतिथयः च तेषां पूजकः)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-context (implied by Revākhaṇḍa)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva narrates to Pārvatī the life of sage Atri: a serene hermitage with a sacred fire, offerings, and a sage welcoming guests.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśvara)
• Pārvatī (Mahādevī)
• Atri
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic holiness is rooted in Vedic discipline: Agnihotra, devotion, and honoring guests (atithi-sevā).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha’s glory is being prepared through Atri’s story, which will connect to the Revā-region sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agnihotra and devatā-atithi-pūjā are highlighted as exemplary daily dharma.