Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

अतिथिर्वैश्वदेवांते स पूज्यः श्राद्धकर्मणि । सर्वदा यतयः पूज्याः स्वशक्त्या गृहमेधिभिः

Transliteration

atithirvaiśvadevāṃte sa pūjyaḥ śrāddhakarmaṇi | sarvadā yatayaḥ pūjyāḥ svaśaktyā gṛhamedhibhiḥ

Translation

Am Ende der Vaiśvadeva-Darbringung soll der Gast im Śrāddha-Ritus geehrt werden. Und die Asketen (yati) sind von den Hausvätern stets zu verehren, nach Maß ihrer Möglichkeiten.

Word by Word

• अतिथिः: guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वैश्वदेव-अन्ते: at the end of the vaiśvadeva offering
• वैश्वदेव-अन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (वैश्वदेवस्य अन्ते), पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूज्यः: is to be honored
• पूज्यः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेयभावः (to be honored)

• श्राद्धकर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (श्राद्धस्य कर्मणि), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• यतयः: ascetics
• यतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पूज्याः: are to be honored
• पूज्याः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेयभावः

• स्वशक्त्या: according to one’s ability
• स्वशक्त्या: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (स्वस्य शक्त्या), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गृहमेधिभिः: by householders
• गृहमेधिभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहमेधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; within Māhātmya discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder completes vaiśvadeva at the hearth; immediately turns to welcome a guest with water and seat; nearby, saffron-clad yatis are offered alms according to capacity; the scene blends domestic ritual with pilgrimage hospitality.

Characters & Entities

• Atithi
• Yati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hospitality and reverence to renunciants are integral to dharma, harmonizing household life with sacred duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpathakṣetra is the narrative setting; the verse highlights tīrtha-culture through honoring guests and ascetics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Honor the atithi after completing vaiśvadeva, and worship/serve yatis according to one’s means.