Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

कर्णप्रावरणे तस्माच्छीघ्रमेव निवेद्यताम् । यथा दर्शनमात्रेण पूजयंत्यतिथिं खलु

Transliteration

karṇaprāvaraṇe tasmācchīghrameva nivedyatām | yathā darśanamātreṇa pūjayaṃtyatithiṃ khalu

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് അവളുടെ ചെവിയിൽ വേഗത്തിൽ മൃദുവായി അറിയിച്ച് എന്നെ അറിയിപ്പിക്കുക; കാരണം അതിഥിയെ ദർശനമാത്രത്താലും ആദരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• कर्णप्रावरणे: in/at the ear-covering (i.e., in private, aside)
• कर्णप्रावरणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण + प्रावरण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्णस्य प्रावरणम्)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत्; हेत्वर्थे अपादान-भाव (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• निवेद्यताम्: let it be reported
• निवेद्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be informed/announced’

• यथा: so that/as
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/so that)

• दर्शनमात्रेण: by mere sight
• दर्शनमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन + मात्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (दर्शनस्य मात्रम्)

• पूजयन्ति: they honor/worship
• पूजयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अतिथिम्: a guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/स्मरणार्थक निपात (indeed/after all)

Speaker

Ghaṭotkaca (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A conspiratorial moment: the speaker urges a messenger to whisper into the mistress’s ear and announce him quickly, invoking the rule that even a mere first sight honors a guest.

Characters & Entities

• atithi (guest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It invokes atithi-dharma: honoring a guest is a dharmic duty, beginning even with respectful reception.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse emphasizes social-religious duty (hospitality) within a story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; it recommends promptly informing/receiving a guest as part of dharma.