Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

उपेत्य राजसदनं सोमवारे द्विजोत्तमैः । सपत्नीकैः कृतातिथ्यौ धौतपादौ बभूवतुः

Transliteration

upetya rājasadanaṃ somavāre dvijottamaiḥ | sapatnīkaiḥ kṛtātithyau dhautapādau babhūvatuḥ

Translation

Parvenus à la demeure royale un lundi, ils furent reçus avec l’hospitalité rituelle par d’éminents brāhmaṇas avec leurs épouses ; puis, les pieds lavés, tous deux furent honorés comme des hôtes sacrés.

Word by Word

• उपेत्य: having approached
• उपेत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः; उपसर्गः उप + धातुः इ; अर्थे ‘गत्वा/प्राप्य’

• राजसदनम्: the royal residence
• राजसदनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + सदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः सदनम्)

• सोमवारे: on Monday
• सोमवारे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative of time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणम्

• द्विजोत्तमैः: by/with the best Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमैः: Sahakārī/Instrument (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘उत्तमाः द्विजाः’

• सपत्नीकैः: together with their wives
• सपत्नीकैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of द्विजोत्तमैः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘पत्नी सहिताः’ (having wives)

• कृतातिथ्यौ: having been duly received as guests
• कृतातिथ्यौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + आतिथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कृत-आतिथ्य (आतिथ्यं कृतम्) इति तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः; ‘hospitality-performed’

• धौतपादौ: with feet washed
• धौतपादौ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of कृतातिथ्यौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धौत + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः ‘धौतौ पादौ यस्य’ (feet washed)

• बभूवतुः: became / were
• बभूवतुः: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal hall on Somavāra: eminent brāhmaṇas with their wives receive two guests; attendants pour water to wash the guests’ feet; the atmosphere is orderly, reverent, and ritual-like.

Characters & Entities

• rājasadana (royal residence)
• dvijottamāḥ (chief brāhmaṇas)
• somavāra (Monday)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Atithi-dharma: honoring guests—especially brāhmaṇas—through welcome and foot-washing is upheld as a meritorious duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the setting is a royal residence within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guest-honor practices: hospitality and washing the feet (pāda-dhautya/pāda-prakṣālana).