Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । अथान्यत्सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि देवस्य चरितं महत् । श्रुतमात्रेण येनाशु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | athānyatsampravakṣyāmi devasya caritaṃ mahat | śrutamātreṇa yenāśu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: «Nun werde ich eine weitere große Tat des Herrn verkünden; schon durch bloßes Hören davon wird man rasch von allen Sünden befreit.»

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom. sg.), कर्मधारय (honorific + name)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: मङ्गल/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then/now)

• अन्यत्: another (matter)
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall narrate fully
• सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• चरितम्: deed(s)/story
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; √चर् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc. sg.), विशेषण (of चरितम्)

• श्रुतमात्रेण: by mere hearing
• श्रुतमात्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु + क्त) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instr. sg.), तत्पुरुष (mere hearing)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instr. sg.)

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, शीघ्रार्थक (quickly)

• सर्वपापैः: from all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Apādāna (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Abl. pl.), कर्मधारय (all + sins)

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed/released
• प्रमुच्यते: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive: is released)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (implied by continuity of address in prior verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sage Mārkaṇḍeya seated in an āśrama, beginning a new narration; attentive listeners gathered, with manuscripts and ritual fire nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Deva (Śiva—contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śravaṇa (devotional listening) to sacred Śaiva narratives is itself purifying and sin-destroying.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This opening verse introduces a new episode; the specific site emerges in the verses that follow.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Hearing the Lord’s carita (kathā-śravaṇa) is presented as a direct means of purification.