Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

विहाय तमिमं धर्ममातिथ्यविमुखः कथम् । गृह्णासि पापं सर्वेषां ब्रूहि कूर्माधुनोत्तरम्

Transliteration

vihāya tamimaṃ dharmamātithyavimukhaḥ katham | gṛhṇāsi pāpaṃ sarveṣāṃ brūhi kūrmādhunottaram

Translation

ଏହି ଅତିଥିଧର୍ମକୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି ତୁମେ କିପରି ଆତିଥ୍ୟରୁ ବିମୁଖ ହେଲା? ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପାପ ତୁମେ କିପରି ନିଜ ଉପରେ ନେଉଛ? ହେ କୂର୍ମ, ଏବେ ଉତ୍ତର କହ।

Word by Word

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धर्मम्: duty/dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आतिथ्यविमुखः: averse to hospitality
• आतिथ्यविमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आतिथ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (आतिथ्ये/आतिथ्यस्य विमुखः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb: how)

• गृह्णासि: do you take/incur
• गृह्णासि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all (people)
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कूर्म: O tortoise
• कूर्म: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: now)

• उत्तरम्: answer
• उत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Kauśika

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kauśika’s expression turns firm; he points or raises a hand in reprimand toward the tortoise, emphasizing the weight of sin in refusing guests.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśika
• Kūrma (Mantharaka, implied)
• Atithya (hospitality-dharma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rejecting guests violates dharma and accrues pāpa; hospitality is not optional but a moral duty with spiritual consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the teaching is framed within the Mānasa-saras encounter but is presented as universal dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is to perform atithi-satkāra (welcome and honor guests); no specific ritual items are enumerated in this verse.