Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

अभ्युत्थानमिहायात सस्नेहं पूर्वभाषणम् । उपासनमनुव्रज्या गृहस्थोन्नति हेतवे

Transliteration

abhyutthānamihāyāta sasnehaṃ pūrvabhāṣaṇam | upāsanamanuvrajyā gṛhasthonnati hetave

Translation

For the householder’s uplift one should rise to greet the arriving guest, speak first with affection, attend with reverence, and accompany the guest as he departs.

Word by Word

• अभ्युत्थानम्: rising up; standing up (in respect)
• अभ्युत्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्युत्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of place)

• आयात: came; has arrived
• आयात: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (aorist, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada)

• सस्नेहम्: with affection
• सस्नेहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सस्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) = स- (उपसर्ग/समासपूर्वक) + स्नेह
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• पूर्वभाषणम्: prior greeting/speaking first
• पूर्वभाषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + भाषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• उपासनम्: service; attendance; respectful waiting
• उपासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• अनुव्रज्या: having followed/accompanied
• अनुव्रज्या: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘having followed’ (indeclinable)

• गृहस्थोन्नति: prosperity/advancement of the householder
• गृहस्थोन्नति: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ + उन्नति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine nom/acc sg)

• हेतवे: for the sake of; as a cause
• हेतवे: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine dative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī householder rises from a low seat as a saffron-clad guest arrives; palms joined, he speaks first with warmth, stands nearby in attendance, then walks a few steps to see the guest off toward a Gaṅgā-lane.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving guests with warmth and respect becomes a cause of the householder’s spiritual and worldly uplift.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dharma-teaching is situated in Kāśī Khaṇḍa; it reflects Kāśī’s ideal of honoring guests as sacred.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Atithi-sevā actions: standing to greet, speaking first with affection, respectful attendance, and accompanying the guest.