Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

भार्यारतिर्भृत्यपोष्टा शुचिः श्रद्धा परायणः । नमस्कारेण मन्त्रेण पंचयज्ञान्न हापयेत्

Transliteration

bhāryāratirbhṛtyapoṣṭā śuciḥ śraddhā parāyaṇaḥ | namaskāreṇa mantreṇa paṃcayajñānna hāpayet

Translation

Let him be devoted to his wife, sustain his dependents and servants, remain pure, and stand firm in faith. With reverent salutations and mantra, let him not neglect the five daily sacrifices.

Word by Word

• भार्यारतिः: devotion/affection to one’s wife
• भार्यारतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक) + रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—भार्यायां रतिः/भार्यायाः रतिः (सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; अर्थतः ‘पत्नी-प्रेम’)

• भृत्यपोष्टा: maintainer of servants/dependents
• भृत्यपोष्टा: Samuccita-karta (Coordinated subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पोष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—भृत्यानां पोष्टा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शुचिः: pure/clean
• शुचिः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (pure)

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Samuccita-karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परायणः: devoted
• परायणः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (devoted/intent on)

• नमस्कारेण: with salutation
• नमस्कारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मन्त्रेण: with mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पञ्चयज्ञान्: the five sacrifices (pañca-yajñas)
• पञ्चयज्ञान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—पञ्च (संख्या) + यज्ञ (द्विगु)

• न: not
• न: Nipata (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• हापयेत्: should not cause to be omitted/neglect
• हापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: णिजन्त (causative), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic instruction; likely within Sūta’s recitation context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vatsa (disciple/son-figure; unspecified in the given excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ideal gṛhastha home: couple in harmony, householder feeding dependents/servants, performing daily worship before a small shrine; pañca-yajña symbolized by lamp, water vessel for tarpana, food portions for beings/guests, and a scripture for svādhyāya.

Characters & Entities

• Paṃcayajña (five daily sacrifices)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Householder life becomes sacred through purity, responsibility, faith, and daily yajña-like duties performed with mantra and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it focuses on universal household dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse prescribes not neglecting the pañca-yajñas (five daily offerings/obligations), performed with mantra and salutations.