Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

यो भार्यापुत्रमित्राणि बालवृद्धकृशातुरान् । भृत्यानतिथिबंधूंश्च त्यक्त्वाश्राति बुभुक्षितान्

Transliteration

yo bhāryāputramitrāṇi bālavṛddhakṛśāturān | bhṛtyānatithibaṃdhūṃśca tyaktvāśrāti bubhukṣitān

Translation

ಯಾರು ಪತ್ನಿ, ಪುತ್ರ, ಮಿತ್ರರನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿ; ಬಾಲ, ವೃದ್ಧ, ಕೃಶ, ರೋಗಿಗಳನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯ ಮಾಡಿ; ಭೃತ್ಯ, ಅತಿಥಿ, ಬಂಧುಗಳನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಅವರು ಹಸಿದಿರುವಾಗ ತಾನೇ ಊಟಮಾಡುತ್ತಾನೋ—ಅವನು ಗೃಹಸ್ಥಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಲಂಘಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• भार्या: wife/wives
• भार्या: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• पुत्र: sons/children
• पुत्र: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• मित्राणि: friends
• मित्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• बाल: young
• बाल: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• वृद्ध: old
• वृद्ध: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• कृश: emaciated/weak
• कृश: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• आतुरान्: distressed/sick
• आतुरान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• भृत्यान्: servants
• भृत्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अतिथि: guests
• अतिथि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• बन्धून्: kinsmen/relations
• बन्धून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• अश्राति: he eats
• अश्राति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बुभुक्षितान्: hungry
• बुभुक्षितान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुभुक्षित (कृदन्त; √भुज्/√भुक्ष्? desiderative base ‘बुभुक्ष-’ from √भुज् ‘to eat’; past participial adjective)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण ‘भुक्तुमिच्छन्तः/क्षुधिताः’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A household courtyard: a man eating alone on a leaf-plate while wife, children, an old person, a sick person, and an atithi stand aside hungry; a sage or inner conscience figure points to the neglected group.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A householder’s righteousness is measured by care for dependents and hospitality; selfish consumption while others starve is adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned; the verse teaches universal gṛhastha-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied prescription: feed dependents and guests before or along with oneself (annadāna/atithi-sevā), though no formal rite is detailed.