Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

सुखासनोपविष्टं तं धूपमाल्यानुलेपनैः । अर्चयित्वा वरान्नेन भोजयामास सादरम्

Transliteration

sukhāsanopaviṣṭaṃ taṃ dhūpamālyānulepanaiḥ | arcayitvā varānnena bhojayāmāsa sādaram

Translation

जब वे सुखासन पर विराजमान हुए, तब उसने धूप, माला और सुगंधित अनुलेपन से उनका पूजन किया। फिर आदरपूर्वक उत्तम अन्न से उन्हें भोजन कराया।

Word by Word

• sukha-āsana-upaviṣṭam: seated on a comfortable seat
• sukha-āsana-upaviṣṭam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (सुख) + āsana (आसन) + upaviṣṭa (उपविष्ट, उप-√viś क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tam/munim); तत्पुरुषसमासः (सुखम् आसनम् यस्मिन् तस्मिन् उपविष्टः)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dhūpa-mālya-anulepanaiḥ: with incense, garlands, and unguents
• dhūpa-mālya-anulepanaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūpa (धूप) + mālya (माल्य) + anulepana (अनुलेपन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• arcayitvā: having worshipped
• arcayitvā: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (अर्च् धातु) + णिच् (causative) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having worshipped’

• vara-annena: with excellent food
• vara-annena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (वर) + anna (अन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental Singular); कर्मधारयः (वरम् अन्नम्)

• bhojayāmāsa: fed
• bhojayāmāsa: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त-धातु — ‘(he) caused to eat/fed’

• sādaram: respectfully
• sādaram: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa-ādara (सादर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial accusative) — ‘with respect’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; exact speaker not in excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage sits on a comfortable seat; the devotee offers incense smoke, places garlands, applies sandal paste, and serves a fine meal on a leaf/plate; the atmosphere is fragrant and orderly.

Characters & Entities

• Śāradā
• Naidhruva (sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring and feeding the worthy (anna-dāna with reverence) is portrayed as a high dharma that attracts auspicious blessings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse glorifies the ‘tīrtha of the guest’—the saintly person.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upacāras of honor (dhūpa, mālya, anulepana) and anna-sevā (feeding) as elements of atithi-satkara.