Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

अर्थिनां क्षुधितानां तु तृप्त्यर्थं वर्तते गृहे । अतोयमर्थिभिः सर्वैर्बहुवाक्य इतीर्यते

Transliteration

arthināṃ kṣudhitānāṃ tu tṛptyarthaṃ vartate gṛhe | atoyamarthibhiḥ sarvairbahuvākya itīryate

Translation

Dans sa demeure, il y avait de quoi rassasier les suppliants et les affamés ; c’est pourquoi tous les chercheurs le nommaient « Bahuvākya », celui dont l’appel et la promesse se faisaient entendre au loin.

Word by Word

• अर्थिनाम्: of the supplicants
• अर्थिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural

• क्षुधितानाम्: of the hungry
• क्षुधितानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधित (कृदन्त; √क्षुध् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural; विशेषणम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• तृप्त्यर्थम्: for the sake of satisfaction
• तृप्त्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• वर्तते: exists/continues
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — 3rd sg. (Ātmanepada)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Cause/Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक अव्यय (causal/consequential adverb)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; सर्वनाम

• अर्थिभिः: by the supplicants
• अर्थिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural; विशेषणम्

• बहुवाक्यः: (one called) ‘many-speeched’/‘of many words’
• बहुवाक्यः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; संज्ञा (epithet)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• ईर्यते: is called/said
• ईर्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive) — ‘is said/called’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: narrative praise)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A generous householder-king’s courtyard where hungry travelers and supplicants are fed; servants distribute food while heralds spread his famed promise; the epithet ‘Bahuvākya’ arises from widely heard proclamations.

Characters & Entities

• Bahuvākya
• Janāśruti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dhārmic household (and ruler) ensures the hungry are fed; compassion expressed as hospitality becomes lasting fame.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named here; the verse praises dharma through hospitality within the Setukhaṇḍa story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sustained annadāna/atithi-sevā—keeping food ready for supplicants and the hungry.