Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणं प्राहुरतिथिं संपूज्य शक्तितो बुधैः । न पृछेत्तत्राचरणं स्वाध्यायं चापि पंडितः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaṃ prāhuratithiṃ saṃpūjya śaktito budhaiḥ | na pṛchettatrācaraṇaṃ svādhyāyaṃ cāpi paṃḍitaḥ

Translation

บัณฑิตทั้งหลายกล่าวว่า พราหมณ์คือ ‘อาติถิ’ ครั้นบูชาต้อนรับตามกำลังแล้ว คฤหัสถ์ผู้รู้ไม่พึงซักถาม ณ ที่นั้นถึงความประพฤติหรือการสวาธยายพระเวทของท่าน

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणम्: a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राहुः: they say/call
• प्राहुः: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अतिथिम्: a guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (द्वितीया द्वितीया—कथनकर्म/उपपद)

• संपूज्य: having honored
• संपूज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्√पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘संपूज्य’ = having duly honored

• शक्तितः: according to one’s capacity
• शक्तितः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘शक्तितः’ = according to ability

• बुधैः: by the wise (people)
• बुधैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• आचरणम्: conduct/behavior
• आचरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वाध्यायम्: (his) Vedic study/recitation
• स्वाध्यायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य अध्यायः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (also/even)

• पण्डितः: the learned man
• पण्डितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa instructional discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa guest stands at the entrance; the householder offers a seat, water, and respectful gestures; the host’s face shows restraint and reverence, not curiosity or suspicion.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Atithi
• Svādhyāya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True hospitality protects the guest’s dignity; service comes first, and judgment or interrogation is withheld.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse glorifies atithi-sevā as a portable ‘tīrtha’ of the home.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Honor the brāhmaṇa-guest according to one’s means, without questioning his conduct or svādhyāya at the time of reception.