Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

अभ्यवादयतं प्रीत्या विनयाव नतस्तदा । तदर्हमासनं तस्मै संप्रदाय यथाविधि

Transliteration

abhyavādayataṃ prītyā vinayāva natastadā | tadarhamāsanaṃ tasmai saṃpradāya yathāvidhi

Translation

Il le salua avec affection et, s’inclinant avec humilité, lui offrit un siège digne de lui—comme il se doit, selon l’usage prescrit.

Word by Word

• अभ्यवादयतम्: you two greeted/saluted
• अभ्यवादयतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + आ + वद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘you two greeted/saluted’

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भावे/करणे

• विनया: with humility
• विनया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भावे/करणे

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (particle of comparison)

• नतः: bowed down
• नतः: Kriya (State/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नम् (धातु) → नत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (he) bowed

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक

• तत्-अर्हम्: worthy for him/appropriate
• तत्-अर्हम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तस्मै अर्हम्/तदर्हम् (तत्पुरुष)

• आसनम्: a seat
• आसनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• संप्रदाय: having offered
• संप्रदाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + दा (धातु) → संप्रदाय (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (क्त्वा); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having given/presented)

• यथा-विधि: according to proper procedure
• यथा-विधि: Riti (Manner/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (according to rule)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; specific speaker not explicit in the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ruler bows with folded hands, smiling; attendants bring a dignified āsana (cushioned seat) for Nārada; ritual vessels (arghya/pādya) may be nearby, indicating proper custom.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Āsana (honor-seat)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed through courteous action—humble greeting and proper honoring of the worthy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named; the focus is on dhārmic protocol (yathāvidhi) in receiving a sage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Atithi-satkāra: salutation, bowing, and offering an appropriate seat according to prescribed custom.