Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

वैश्वदेवांत संप्राप्तः सूर्योढो वातिथिः स्मृतः । न पूर्वकाल आयातो न च दृष्टचरः क्वचित्

Transliteration

vaiśvadevāṃta saṃprāptaḥ sūryoḍho vātithiḥ smṛtaḥ | na pūrvakāla āyāto na ca dṛṣṭacaraḥ kvacit

Translation

在毗湿瓦提婆（Vaiśvadeva）供献之礼将毕时，仿佛随落日而至者，称为“vā-atithi”（偶至、未预告之客）：他既非先前到来，其行状亦非素所熟知。

Word by Word

• वैश्वदेव-अन्तम्: the end of the Vaiśvadeva rite
• वैश्वदेव-अन्तम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अन्त-शब्दः), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (वैश्वदेवस्य अन्तम्)

• सम्प्राप्तः: having arrived
• सम्प्राप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √प्राप् (धातु) क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle): ‘having arrived’

• सूर्य-ऊढः: sun-led; arriving with the sun (at sunset)
• सूर्य-ऊढः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊढ (कृदन्त; √वह् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: ‘or/also’)

• अतिथिः: guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is considered/said (to be)
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Copular/विधेय-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) क्त
• Form: लट्-लकारार्थे कर्मणि-प्रयोगवत् क्त-प्रत्ययः; प्रथमा एकवचन (पुं); वाक्ये ‘इति स्मृतः’ = ‘is said/considered’ (finite sense)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• पूर्व-कालम्: earlier time
• पूर्व-कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (पूर्वः कालः)

• आयातः: having come (beforehand)
• आयातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √या (धातु) क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त: ‘having come’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• दृष्ट-चरः: previously seen/known (to the household)
• दृष्ट-चरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् (धातु) क्त) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दृष्टः चरः/चरितः = ‘seen/known in conduct’)

• क्वचित्: ever; anywhere
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Place/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (indefinite adverb: ‘anywhere/ever’)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder finishing the vaiśvadeva offering as the sun sets; an unknown traveler appears at the doorway—his identity and conduct not previously known—yet he is welcomed as ‘vā-atithi’.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśvadeva
• Āditya (Sun)
• Atithi (Guest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even an unannounced, unknown guest arriving late is to be recognized as an atithi and treated with dharmic care.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage is situated in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī framework, teaching daily dharma for residents and pilgrims.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reference to Vaiśvadeva (a daily offering); the verse marks the guest who comes at its conclusion as a special category needing hospitality.