Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

स्वागतं ते हरिः प्राह बहुमानपुरःसरम् । स्वाभ्याशं आसयामास भास्वंतं नतकंधरम्

Transliteration

svāgataṃ te hariḥ prāha bahumānapuraḥsaram | svābhyāśaṃ āsayāmāsa bhāsvaṃtaṃ natakaṃdharam

Translation

Hari l’accueillit par des paroles d’honneur; l’attirant près de Lui, Il fit asseoir à Ses côtés le resplendissant Sūrya, la nuque inclinée en révérence.

Word by Word

• स्वागतम्: welcome
• स्वागतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वागत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; अभिवादनार्थक-शब्दः (welcome)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6/4), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (to you/your)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (धातु; √अह्/ब्रू-आदेश, परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बहुमानपुरःसरम्: preceded by great respect
• बहुमानपुरःसरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुमान (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुमानेन पुरःसरम् = बहुमानपूर्वकम् (with great respect as the forerunner)

• स्वाभ्याशम्: near to himself
• स्वाभ्याशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्याश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; स्वस्य अभ्याशः = own proximity/nearby place

• आसयामास: made (him) sit; seated
• आसयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-सीद्/आस् (धातु; causative √आस् → आसयति, परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative)

• भास्वन्तम्: shining
• भास्वन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; वर्तमान-विशेषण (shining)

• नतकन्धरम्: with bowed neck
• नतकन्धरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (कृदन्त; √नम्, क्त) + कन्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; नतः कन्धरः यस्य/नत-कन्धरः (with bowed neck)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual purāṇic narration within Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu (Hari) welcomes Sūrya with honor, draws him near, and seats the radiant Sun-god beside him; Sūrya bows with lowered neck, his aura glowing like a halo.

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Viṣṇu
• Sūrya (Bhāsvān)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True radiance is crowned by humility—divinity honors the devotee who approaches with reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) Mahātmya, where divine encounters underscore the sanctity of the Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the verse models respectful approach (namaskāra) and receptivity to instruction.