Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अर्घेण शंभुः पाद्येन सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः । भोज्यदानेन विष्णुः स्यात्सर्वदेवमयोऽतिथिः

Transliteration

argheṇa śaṃbhuḥ pādyena sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ | bhojyadānena viṣṇuḥ syātsarvadevamayo'tithiḥ

Translation

ارغیہ پیش کرنے سے شمبھو کی تعظیم ہوتی ہے؛ پادْیہ (پاؤں دھونے کا پانی) دینے سے اندر سمیت سب دیوتا راضی ہوتے ہیں؛ اور کھانا دینے سے وشنو خوش ہوتا ہے—کیونکہ مہمان تمام دیوتاؤں کا مجسمہ ہے۔

Word by Word

• argheṇa: by (offering) arghya
• argheṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: argha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by arghya-offering)

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; Nominative singular (Śiva)

• pādyena: by (offering) pādya (water for feet)
• pādyena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by water for washing feet)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (all)

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; Nominative plural (gods)

• sa-vāsavāḥ: together with Indra
• sa-vāsavāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/सह) + vāsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि/सह-समासार्थ: ‘with Vāsava (Indra)’

• bhojya-dānena: by giving food
• bhojya-dānena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojya (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भोज्यस्य दानम्) = भोज्यदानम्; Instrumental singular (by giving food)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; Nominative singular (Viṣṇu)

• syāt: becomes / is (to be regarded as)
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस्, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/विधान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘would be/should be’

• sarva-deva-mayaḥ: consisting of all gods
• sarva-deva-mayaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वदेवमयः = consisting of all gods)

• atithiḥ: guest
• atithiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; Nominative singular (guest)

Speaker

Narrative voice (Purāṇic narrator; not explicitly named in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A host performs three offerings to a guest: arghya in a small vessel, pādya water for feet, and a meal; above the guest appear subtle divine overlays—Śiva, the devas with Indra, and Viṣṇu—showing the guest as sarvadevamaya.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Indra (Vāsava)
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving a guest is direct worship: different acts of reception correspond to honoring major deities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is embedded in the Śrīhāṭa–Keśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya, presenting tīrtha-piety as lived devotion through hospitality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer arghya, pādya, and food to the guest, understanding these as deity-pleasing offerings.