Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

निजापराधसंतप्ता गतास्ते दक्षिणामुखम् आथित्यपू । जा कर्तव्या लुब्धके गृहमागते

Transliteration

nijāparādhasaṃtaptā gatāste dakṣiṇāmukham āthityapū | jā kartavyā lubdhake gṛhamāgate

Translation

Tourmentés par la conscience de leurs propres fautes, ils se dirigèrent vers le sud. Lorsqu’un chasseur vient à la maison en hôte, il convient de lui offrir l’hospitalité et un hommage respectueux.

Word by Word

• nija-aparādha-saṃtaptāḥ: afflicted by their own offences
• nija-aparādha-saṃtaptāḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक) + aparādha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃtaptā (कृदन्त; √tap तप् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘own-offence-burnt’ = ‘afflicted by their own offences’

• gatāḥ: went / having gone
• gatāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘gone’

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• dakṣiṇā-mukham: the southern direction (south-facing)
• dakṣiṇā-mukham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal as object of motion)

• āthitya-pūjā: hospitality (honouring a guest)
• āthitya-pūjā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āthitya (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पाठभ्रंश-सूचित: ‘आथित्यपू । जा’ इति छेदः ‘आथित्यपूजा’ (hospitality-worship)

• kartavyā: should be done
• kartavyā: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kartavya (कृदन्त; √kṛ कृ + तव्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; ‘to be done/should be done’

• lubdhake: when the hunter
• lubdhake: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lubdhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विषय/अधिकरण (with regard to/when)

• gṛham: to the house
• gṛham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal)

• āgate: having arrived / when (he) arrived
• āgate: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āgata (कृदन्त; ā-√gam गम् + क्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-सम्बन्धे (locative absolute-like: ‘on (his) arrival’)

Speaker

Rudra (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A remorseful group turns southward; at a humble doorway a hunter-guest arrives; the householder prepares water, seat, and offerings with reverence despite the guest’s rough attire and bow.

Characters & Entities

• Lubdhaka (hunter)
• South direction (dakṣiṇā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Atithi-dharma is universal: one must honor a guest without prejudice, even if the visitor is a hunter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is primarily dharma-instruction within the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya narrative rather than a direct tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Āthitya-pūjā—offering hospitality and respectful reception to a guest (atithi).