Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

अदांभिकोऽक्रूरमनाः सदैवातिथिवल्लभः । अथ यौवनमासाद्य पितर्युपरते स हि

Transliteration

adāṃbhiko'krūramanāḥ sadaivātithivallabhaḥ | atha yauvanamāsādya pitaryuparate sa hi

Translation

他素来不矫饰，性情温柔，恒喜敬奉来客。然而当他步入青春之年——在父亲去世之后——

Word by Word

• adāmbhikaḥ: non-pretentious, without hypocrisy
• adāmbhikaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + dāmbhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त (अदाम्भिकः = दम्भरहितः)

• akrūra-manāḥ: one whose mind is not cruel
• akrūra-manāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + krūra (प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (अक्रूरं मनः यस्य सः)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• atithi-vallabhaḥ: dear to guests; hospitable
• atithi-vallabhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक) + vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अतिथीनां वल्लभः)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (conjunctive particle: then/now)

• yauvanam: youth
• yauvanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yauvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• āsādya: having attained
• āsādya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sad (सद् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having attained)

• pitari: when the father (was...)
• pitari: Adhikarana (Time/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• uparate: having ceased; departed (dead)
• uparate: Adhikarana (Locative absolute context)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√ram (रम् धातु) + kta (क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; लोकेटिव-अब्सोल्यूट (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध) अर्थे ‘upon (his) father’s passing’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Devadeva (Śiva) continuing the narration

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Caturbhuja (interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gentle portrait of Mahānanda: welcoming travelers with water and a seat, face open and unpretentious. A secondary vignette shows the household in mourning after the father’s passing, marking the threshold into youth and responsibility.

Characters & Entities

• Mahānanda (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narratives often begin by establishing virtue, showing how vigilance is needed even for the good when life circumstances change.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it serves as character background within the Kāśī narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Atithi-sevā (hospitality to guests) is upheld as a dharmic virtue, though not a formal ritual instruction.