Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

आदित्योढोऽतिथिः सायं सत्कर्तव्यः प्रयत्नतः । असत्कृतोन्यतो गच्छन्दुष्कृतं भूरि यच्छति

Transliteration

ādityoḍho'tithiḥ sāyaṃ satkartavyaḥ prayatnataḥ | asatkṛtonyato gacchanduṣkṛtaṃ bhūri yacchati

Translation

സൂര്യാസ്തമയസന്ധ്യയിൽ എത്തുന്ന അതിഥിയെ പ്രത്യേക പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ ആദരിക്കണം. ആദരിക്കപ്പെടാതെ അവൻ മറ്റിടത്തേക്ക് പോയാൽ ആ ഗൃഹത്തിന് ധാരാളം പാപം വരുത്തും.

Word by Word

• आदित्य-ऊढः: (one) carried/led by the sun (i.e., arriving at sunset)
• आदित्य-ऊढः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊढ (कृदन्त; √वह् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (आदित्येन ऊढः = ‘sun-carried/led by the sun’)

• अतिथिः: guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• सत्-कर्तव्यः: to be properly honored
• सत्-कर्तव्यः: Karya/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तव्य (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) तव्यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort; diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Hetu/Prayojana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित; अव्ययीभावार्थे)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverb)

• असत्-कृतः: (a guest) who has been disrespected
• असत्-कृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः; (one) dishonored

• अन्यतः: elsewhere; from another place
• अन्यतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यतः (अव्यय; अन्य + तस्)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशा/स्थानवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (ablatival adverb: ‘from elsewhere’)

• गच्छन्: going (away)
• गच्छन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) शतृ (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle)

• दुष्कृतम्: sin; evil deed
• दुष्कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक; दुस् + कृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भूरि: much; abundant
• भूरि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरि (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण/विशेषण (quantifier: ‘much’)

• यच्छति: gives; bestows
• यच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A twilight courtyard in Kāśī: the sun setting over the Gaṅgā; a weary traveler-guest arrives at the threshold; the householder hastens with a lamp, water-pot, and offering of food, aware that neglect brings sin.

Characters & Entities

• Āditya (Sun)
• Atithi (Guest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The evening guest is especially sacred; neglecting him turns hospitality-failure into heavy demerit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī dharma-setting, emphasizing righteous living in the holy city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Satkāra of the sāyam-atithi—intentional, effortful honoring and feeding of a guest arriving at sunset.