Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

न पृच्छेद्गोत्रचरणं न स्थानं वेदमेव च । दृष्ट्वा यज्ञोपवीतं च भोजयेत्तं प्रभक्तितः

Transliteration

na pṛcchedgotracaraṇaṃ na sthānaṃ vedameva ca | dṛṣṭvā yajñopavītaṃ ca bhojayettaṃ prabhaktitaḥ

Translation

അവന്റെ ഗോത്രം, ചരണം, താമസസ്ഥലം, ഏത് വേദശാഖ—ഇവ ഒന്നും ചോദിക്കരുത്; യജ്ഞോപവീതം കണ്ടാൽ ഭക്തിയോടെ അവനെ ഭോജനിപ്പിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; ‘one should ask’

• गोत्रचरणम्: lineage and Vedic school (caraṇa)
• गोत्रचरणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र + चरण (प्रातिपदिक); गोत्र-चरण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गोत्रं च चरणं च)

• न: nor
• न: Negation (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• स्थानम्: place/residence
• स्थानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वेदम्: Veda
• वेदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एव: indeed/even
• एव: Emphasis (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• च: and
• च: Conjunction (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive)

• यज्ञोपवीतम्: the sacred thread
• यज्ञोपवीतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक); यज्ञ-उपवीत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञस्य उपवीतम्)

• च: and
• च: Conjunction (Avyaya function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्/भोज् (धातु; causative of भुज्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative) — ‘one should feed’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रभक्तितः: with great devotion
• प्रभक्तितः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb) = ‘प्रभक्त्या/भक्तिपूर्वकं’ (with devotion)

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration; likely Sūta speaking to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A host sees the sacred thread on an arriving guest and, without questioning, offers a meal with folded hands; speech-bubbles of questions are visually absent, replaced by a calm gesture of welcome.

Characters & Entities

• Yajñopavīta
• Atithi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True hospitality is humble and non-inquisitorial; devotion and service matter more than social interrogation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse provides dharma conduct applicable across tīrthas and homes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not cross-examine the arriving guest; if qualified by the sacred thread, offer food with devotion.