Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

स्वकुलायात्प्रहृष्टोऽसौ गृध्रः संमुखमाययौ । कृतसंविदसौ पूर्वं स्वागतासनभोजनैः

Transliteration

svakulāyātprahṛṣṭo'sau gṛdhraḥ saṃmukhamāyayau | kṛtasaṃvidasau pūrvaṃ svāgatāsanabhojanaiḥ

Translation

Rejoicing, that vulture came forth from his own abode to meet them face to face. Since they were previously acquainted, they exchanged courtesies—welcome, seats, and food.

Word by Word

• स्वकुलात्: from his own clan/home
• स्वकुलात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य कुलम्)

• प्रहृष्टः: delighted
• प्रहृष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृष् (धातु)
• Form: प्र-उपसर्गयुक्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle, adjectival); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (दूरवाचक सर्वनाम)

• गृध्रः: the vulture
• गृध्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संमुखम्: towards (them), face to face
• संमुखम्: Gati (Direction/गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संमुख (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् अव्यय; दिशावाचक (towards/face to face)

• आययौ: came
• आययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: आ-

• कृतसंविदः: having made an agreement / having arranged (matters)
• कृतसंविदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + संविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृता संवित् येषाम्) विशेषण (तेषाम्)

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: previously
• पूर्वम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/before)

• स्वागतासनभोजनैः: with welcome, seats, and food (hospitality)
• स्वागतासनभोजनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वागत + आसन + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (स्वागतं च आसनं च भोजनं च)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa, per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana (abode-reception locus)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A venerable vulture emerges joyfully from his dwelling to greet the arriving companions; they exchange formal courtesies—welcome, offering of seats, and food—like an āśrama reception.

Characters & Entities

• Gṛdhra (vulture)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Atithi-dharma (honoring guests) is a living virtue—welcome, seating, and feeding are treated as sacred duties.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is praised directly; the scene unfolds in the Gandhamādana setting introduced earlier.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it models dharmic hospitality through welcome, offering a seat, and providing food.