Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तन्मंत्राणां च माहात्म्यं तथैव द्विजसत्तम । तत्कथायाश्च तद्भक्तेः प्रभावमनुवर्णय

Transliteration

tanmaṃtrāṇāṃ ca māhātmyaṃ tathaiva dvijasattama | tatkathāyāśca tadbhakteḥ prabhāvamanuvarṇaya

Translation

„O Bester der Zweimalgeborenen, schildere auch die Größe seiner Mantras und ebenso die Wirkkraft seiner heiligen Erzählungen und der Hingabe (Bhakti) zu Ihm.“

Word by Word

• tat: his/that
• tat: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-पूर्वपद (in compound)

• mantrāṇām: of those mantras
• mantrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (tat-mantra); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• māhātmyam: the greatness
• māhātmyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• tathā: thus; likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/so)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle: indeed/only)

• dvija: twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• dvija: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पूर्वपद (in compound)

• sattama: O best of the twice-born
• sattama: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (dvija-sattama); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• tat: his/that
• tat: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-पूर्वपद (in compound)

• kathāyāḥ: of that narrative
• kathāyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (tat-kathā); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive/6th), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• tat: his/that
• tat: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-पूर्वपद (in compound)

• bhakteḥ: of that devotion
• bhakteḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (tat-bhakti); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive/6th), एकवचन

• prabhāvam: the power; efficacy
• prabhāvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• anuvarṇaya: describe; recount
• anuvarṇaya: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu+varṇ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages) addressing Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta (addressed as dvija-sattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages request an exposition of mantra-mahātmyam and the power of Śiva-kathā and bhakti; the scene can show three symbolic streams: mantra as sacred syllables, kathā as manuscript/recitation, bhakti as offering at a liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Sūta
• Śiva (implied by context Tripuradviṣ)
• Mantra
• Kathā
• Bhakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is strengthened through three allied means: mantra (japa), kathā (sacred hearing), and bhakti (devotional commitment).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse introduces mantra- and kathā-centered māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra practice (japa) is implied, alongside listening to and recounting sacred kathā.