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 said: “O great Goddess, there was a sage named Atri, a mind-born son of Brahmā. Ever devoted to the Agnihotra, he was constant in honoring the gods and guests.”

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.