Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

दुर्वासा उवाच । युक्तमेतन्महाराज वक्तुं ते कार्यमीदृशम् । गृहागताय विप्राय व्रतिनेऽस्मद्विधाय च

Transliteration

durvāsā uvāca | yuktametanmahārāja vaktuṃ te kāryamīdṛśam | gṛhāgatāya viprāya vratine'smadvidhāya ca

Translation

துர்வாசர் கூறினார்—மகாராஜா, இத்தகைய உறுதியைச் சொல்லுதல் முறையானதே; இல்லம் வந்த பிராமணருக்கும், விரதம் அனுஷ்டிக்கும் தபஸ்விக்கும், என்னைப் போன்றவருக்கும்.

Word by Word

• दुर्वासाः: Durvāsā
• दुर्वासाः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durvāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• युक्तम्: proper
• युक्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (प्रातिपदिक; √yuj-क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (proper/fitting)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Impersonal subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः महा + राजा

• वक्तुम्: to say
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); अर्थे: वक्तुं = to say

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन (to you)

• कार्यम्: request/need
• कार्यम्: Karta (Impersonal subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ईदृशम्: such
• ईदृशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (such/like this)

• गृहागताय: to one who has come to (your) house
• गृहागताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛha-āgata (प्रातिपदिक; √gam-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; समासः गृह + आगत (to one who has come to the house)

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• व्रतिने: to an observer of vows
• व्रतिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• अस्मद्विधाय: to one like me
• अस्मद्विधाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asmad + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; समासः अस्मद् + विध (one like me)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/ conjunction)

Speaker

Durvāsā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Durvāsā speaks with composed authority, acknowledging the king’s resolve as proper; the king listens attentively, hands folded, in a quiet, dharmic atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Durvāsā
• King
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring a house-guest—especially a brāhmaṇa engaged in vrata—is affirmed as a righteous and socially sacred duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports tīrtha-centered dharma by focusing on the sanctity of vow and guesthood; it does not specify a named tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is atithi-pūjā: respectful reception and fulfilling the needs of a vrata-observing guest.