Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

गृह्योक्तेन विधानेन कृत्वा चैवार्हणं ततः । कृतांजलिपुटो भूत्वा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह

Transliteration

gṛhyoktena vidhānena kṛtvā caivārhaṇaṃ tataḥ | kṛtāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā vākyametaduvāca ha

Translation

Nachdem er den Empfang und die Ehren nach häuslichem Ritus vollzogen hatte, faltete er ehrfürchtig die Hände und sprach diese Worte.

Word by Word

• गृह्योक्तेन: by what is prescribed in the Gṛhya (ritual) texts
• गृह्योक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृह्य-उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; गृह्य + उक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्—‘उक्तेन’ इति क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-विशेषणम्

• विधानेन: by the procedure/rite
• विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• अर्हणम्: honouring/worship
• अर्हणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्हण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्ययम् (then/thereafter)

• कृत-अञ्जलि-पुटः: with hands folded (in reverence)
• कृत-अञ्जलि-पुटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अञ्जलि + पुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (one whose hands are in folded-cup gesture)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-विशेषणम्

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed/then (narrative)
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/वृत्तान्तसूचक-निपातः (narrative particle)

Speaker

Deductive/Contextual Narration (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Nāgara-khaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a royal/wealthy household: a guest is honoured with arghya/pādya/āsana; the host then stands with añjali, poised to speak.

Characters & Entities

• Gṛhya rites (Gṛhya)
• Atithi-honour (ārhaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with proper conduct—honouring guests through established rites purifies speech and intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter; this line highlights dharmic conduct rather than naming the sacred site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārhaṇa (formal reception/honouring) performed per Gṛhya (domestic ritual) injunctions, followed by añjali (folded hands).