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

ਸੂਰਜ ਦੇ ਡੁੱਬਣ ਨਾਲ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਲਿਆਂਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਜੋ ਸਾਂਝ ਵੇਲੇ ਅਤਿਥੀ ਆਵੇ, ਉਸ ਦਾ ਯਤਨ ਨਾਲ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਸਤਕਾਰ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ਜੇ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਸਤਕਾਰ ਨਾ ਹੋਵੇ ਤੇ ਉਹ ਹੋਰ ਥਾਂ ਚਲਾ ਜਾਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਘਰ ਉੱਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਪਾਪ-ਫਲ ਆ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

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.