Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

अभ्युत्थानमिहायात सस्नेहं पूर्वभाषणम् । उपासनमनुव्रज्या गृहस्थोन्नति हेतवे

Transliteration

abhyutthānamihāyāta sasnehaṃ pūrvabhāṣaṇam | upāsanamanuvrajyā gṛhasthonnati hetave

Translation

Pour l’élévation du maître de maison : se lever pour accueillir l’hôte qui arrive, lui adresser d’abord des paroles affectueuses, le servir avec respect et l’accompagner lorsqu’il s’en va.

Word by Word

• अभ्युत्थानम्: rising up; standing up (in respect)
• अभ्युत्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्युत्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of place)

• आयात: came; has arrived
• आयात: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (aorist, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada)

• सस्नेहम्: with affection
• सस्नेहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सस्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) = स- (उपसर्ग/समासपूर्वक) + स्नेह
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg; adjective)

• पूर्वभाषणम्: prior greeting/speaking first
• पूर्वभाषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + भाषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• उपासनम्: service; attendance; respectful waiting
• उपासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• अनुव्रज्या: having followed/accompanied
• अनुव्रज्या: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘having followed’ (indeclinable)

• गृहस्थोन्नति: prosperity/advancement of the householder
• गृहस्थोन्नति: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ + उन्नति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine nom/acc sg)

• हेतवे: for the sake of; as a cause
• हेतवे: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine dative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī householder rises from a low seat as a saffron-clad guest arrives; palms joined, he speaks first with warmth, stands nearby in attendance, then walks a few steps to see the guest off toward a Gaṅgā-lane.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving guests with warmth and respect becomes a cause of the householder’s spiritual and worldly uplift.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dharma-teaching is situated in Kāśī Khaṇḍa; it reflects Kāśī’s ideal of honoring guests as sacred.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Atithi-sevā actions: standing to greet, speaking first with affection, respectful attendance, and accompanying the guest.