Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अथ विप्रं गृहं प्राप्तं दृष्ट्वा तस्य सती प्रिया । अज्ञातमपिसद्भक्त्या सूपचारैरतोषयत्

Transliteration

atha vipraṃ gṛhaṃ prāptaṃ dṛṣṭvā tasya satī priyā | ajñātamapisadbhaktyā sūpacārairatoṣayat

Translation

Als sie den Brahmanen sah, der in ihr Haus gekommen war, erfreute ihn seine tugendhafte, geliebte Gattin—obwohl sie ihn nicht kannte—mit aufrichtiger Bhakti und angemessenen Ehrenbezeugungen.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक (then)

• विप्रम्: the Brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• गृहम्: the house
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• प्राप्तम्: who had arrived (there)
• प्राप्तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप् (धातु) (प्र-√आप्) + प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विप्रम् इति विशेषण (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying 'vipram')

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive: having seen)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular)

• सती: the virtuous wife
• सती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• प्रिया: beloved
• प्रिया: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Feminine, Nominative, Singular; adjective)

• अज्ञातम्: (him) unknown (to her)
• अज्ञातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मप्रवचनीय-भावे (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'unknown' as object-state)

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/although)

• सद्भक्त्या: with sincere devotion
• सद्भक्त्या: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः (true/devout devotion)

• सूपचारैः: with good hospitality/attentions
• सूपचारैः: Karana (Means/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); उपसर्गपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (good services/attentions)

• अतोषयत्: she pleased, satisfied
• अतोषयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु) (आ-√तुष्/तोषय)
• Form: लङ् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Imperfect/Past, 3rd person, Singular); णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: caused to be pleased)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The virtuous wife welcomes the unknown brāhmaṇa-guest with heartfelt devotion—offering water, seat, and respectful service—despite the household’s ongoing distress.

Characters & Entities

• vipra
• satī (virtuous wife)
• atithi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving an unknown guest with sincere devotion is praised as dharma; such humility attracts auspicious outcomes in tīrtha narratives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is not named in this verse; the hospitality scene sets the stage for later revelation about a healing sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Proper upacāra (courteous service) to an atithi—food, respect, and care—an implied household observance.