Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अतिथिं तत्र संप्राप्तमर्घ्यपाद्योदकेन च । बुभुक्षुमागतं श्रांतं याचमानमकिंचनम्

Transliteration

atithiṃ tatra saṃprāptamarghyapādyodakena ca | bubhukṣumāgataṃ śrāṃtaṃ yācamānamakiṃcanam

Translation

Quand un hôte y parvient—affamé, las, demandant secours et dénué de tout—qu’on l’accueille avec l’arghya et l’eau pour laver ses pieds.

Word by Word

• अतिथिम्: the guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Locative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• संप्राप्तम्: arrived/come
• संप्राप्तम्: Karmaviśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्√प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘अतिथिम्’)

• अर्घ्यपाद्योदकेन: with arghya, pādya and water
• अर्घ्यपाद्योदकेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य + पाद्य + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (अर्घ्यं च पाद्यं च उदकं च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• बुभुक्षुम्: hungry/desiring to eat
• बुभुक्षुम्: Karmaviśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of guest)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुभुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; इच्छार्थक विशेषण (desiderative adjective)

• आगतम्: come
• आगतम्: Karmaviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• श्रान्तम्: tired
• श्रान्तम्: Karmaviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• याचमानम्: begging/asking
• याचमानम्: Karmaviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √याच् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अकिञ्चनम्: having nothing/poor
• अकिञ्चनम्: Karmaviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकिञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa instructional discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weary traveler stands at the doorway, dusty and hungry; the householder approaches with a small arghya vessel and a pot of water, offering foot-washing; the traveler’s posture shows fatigue and hope.

Characters & Entities

• Atithi
• Arghya
• Pādya (foot-washing water)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine is met in the form of the vulnerable traveler; honoring the needy guest is a central act of puranic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is named; the verse reflects the ‘travel-guide’ ethic of the Purāṇa by sanctifying care for travelers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering arghya and pādya (water for the feet) to an arriving guest, especially one hungry and exhausted.