Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

वैश्वदेवेन ये हीना आतिथ्येन विवर्जिताः । सर्वे ते वृषला ज्ञेयाः प्राप्तवेदा अपि द्विजाः

Transliteration

vaiśvadevena ye hīnā ātithyena vivarjitāḥ | sarve te vṛṣalā jñeyāḥ prāptavedā api dvijāḥ

Translation

വൈശ്വദേവം ഇല്ലാത്തവരും അതിഥിസത്കാരം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നവരും—അവരെല്ലാം ‘വൃഷലർ’ (ആചരണത്തിൽ പതിതർ) എന്നു അറിയുക; അവർ ദ്വിജരും വേദാധ്യയനമുള്ളവരുമായാലും.

Word by Word

• वैश्वदेवेन: by/with the Vaiśvadeva (rite)
• वैश्वदेवेन: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• हीनाः: devoid (of)
• हीनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• आतिथ्येन: by/with hospitality
• आतिथ्येन: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आतिथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• विवर्जिताः: deprived/without
• विवर्जिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि√वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु) → विवर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘excluded/deprived’

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

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

• वृषलाः: outcast-like / base men
• वृषलाः: Pradhana (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ज्ञेयाः: are to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयाः: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विध्यर्थे कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘to be known/considered’

• प्राप्त-वेदाḥ: even if Veda-learned
• प्राप्त-वेदाḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्तवेद = प्राप्त (कृदन्त) + वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (having obtained the Veda; i.e., Veda-learned)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजाः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Deductive (sectional narration; likely Sūta speaking in a dharma-teaching passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern dharma-teacher points to a neglected household altar and an unwelcomed guest at the door; learned dvijas sit with Veda manuscripts yet are shown fallen by their refusal. The scene conveys moral force and social consequence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Learning alone is not dharma; conduct—especially daily offerings and hospitality—defines spiritual nobility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is a moral injunction within dharma instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not omit Vaiśvadeva and do not abandon atithi-satkāra (guest-honoring).