Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । यदुक्तं भवता सूत महदाख्यानमद्भुतम् । शम्भोर्माहात्म्यकथनमशेषाघहरं परम्

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | yaduktaṃ bhavatā sūta mahadākhyānamadbhutam | śambhormāhātmyakathanamaśeṣāghaharaṃ param

Translation

ঋষিসকলে ক’লে: হে সূত! আপুনি যি মহৎ আৰু আশ্চৰ্য আখ্যান ক’লে—শম্ভুৰ মাহাত্ম্যৰ এই কীৰ্তন—সৰ্বোত্তম; ই অবশিষ্ট নথকা দৰে সকলো পাপ হৰণ কৰে।

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• यत्: which/that (what)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• आख्यानम्: narrative/account
• आख्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• माहात्म्यकथनम्: the narration of (his) greatness
• माहात्म्यकथनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य + कथन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (माहात्म्यस्य कथनम्)

• अशेष: entire, without remainder
• अशेष: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (अघस्य)

• अघहरम्: sin-destroying
• अघहरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघहर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (अघं हरति इति)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Forest hermitage assembly: sages seated in a semicircle, addressing Sūta with folded hands; a subtle aura of Śiva (trident, crescent moon motif) implied behind the narration as the ‘sin-destroying’ power of the tale.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Sūta
• Śambhu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-māhātmya heard with faith is itself a purifier, capable of dissolving accumulated sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the verse glorifies Śambhu’s māhātmya (greatness) in general.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied sādhana is śravaṇa (devotional listening) of Śiva’s greatness as a sin-removing act.