Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

न पृच्छेद्गोत्रचरणं न स्थानं वेदमेव च । दृष्ट्वा यज्ञोपवीतं च भोजयेत्तं प्रभक्तितः

Transliteration

na pṛcchedgotracaraṇaṃ na sthānaṃ vedameva ca | dṛṣṭvā yajñopavītaṃ ca bhojayettaṃ prabhaktitaḥ

Translation

Man frage weder nach gotra und caraṇa (vedischer Schule) noch nach Wohnort oder gar danach, welchem Veda er folgt. Sieht man das heilige Band yajñopavīta, so speise man ihn mit aufrichtiger Hingabe.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; ‘one should ask’

• गोत्रचरणम्: lineage and Vedic school (caraṇa)
• गोत्रचरणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र + चरण (प्रातिपदिक); गोत्र-चरण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गोत्रं च चरणं च)

• न: nor
• न: Negation (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• स्थानम्: place/residence
• स्थानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वेदम्: Veda
• वेदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एव: indeed/even
• एव: Emphasis (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• च: and
• च: Conjunction (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive)

• यज्ञोपवीतम्: the sacred thread
• यज्ञोपवीतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक); यज्ञ-उपवीत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञस्य उपवीतम्)

• च: and
• च: Conjunction (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्/भोज् (धातु; causative of भुज्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative) — ‘one should feed’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रभक्तितः: with great devotion
• प्रभक्तितः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb) = ‘प्रभक्त्या/भक्तिपूर्वकं’ (with devotion)

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration; likely Sūta speaking to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A host sees the sacred thread on an arriving guest and, without questioning, offers a meal with folded hands; speech-bubbles of questions are visually absent, replaced by a calm gesture of welcome.

Characters & Entities

• Yajñopavīta
• Atithi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True hospitality is humble and non-inquisitorial; devotion and service matter more than social interrogation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse provides dharma conduct applicable across tīrthas and homes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not cross-examine the arriving guest; if qualified by the sacred thread, offer food with devotion.