Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यत्कथाश्रवणं शंभोः संसारभयनाशनम् । सद्योमुक्तिकरं श्लाघ्यं पवित्रं सर्वदेहिनाम्

Transliteration

yatkathāśravaṇaṃ śaṃbhoḥ saṃsārabhayanāśanam | sadyomuktikaraṃ ślāghyaṃ pavitraṃ sarvadehinām

Translation

Das Hören der heiligen Erzählung von Śambhu vernichtet die Furcht vor dem Saṃsāra. Es schenkt sofortige Befreiung, ist des Lobes würdig und reinigt alle verkörperten Wesen.

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• कथाश्रवणम्: hearing of the story
• कथाश्रवणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कथायाः श्रवणम्’

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• संसारभयनाशनम्: destroyer of fear of worldly existence
• संसारभयनाशनम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘संसार-भयस्य नाशनम्’

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘immediately’

• मुक्तिकरम्: bringing liberation
• मुक्तिकरम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मुक्तिं करोति’ (causing liberation)

• श्लाघ्यम्: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्यम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक; श्लाघ् धातु + य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाव्य/योग्य-अर्थ (praiseworthy)

• पवित्रम्: pure, purifying
• पवित्रम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वदेहिनाम्: of all embodied beings
• सर्वदेहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः: ‘सर्वे देहिनः’

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa (contextual; not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śambhu-kathā (portable tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A congregation listening to a Śiva-kathā: a reciter (paurāṇika) before a Śiva-liṅga or Śiva icon; listeners’ fear dissolves as a dark cloud lifts, replaced by a radiant aura signifying purification and release.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Saṃsāra
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-kathā śravaṇa is portrayed as a direct purifier that uproots worldly fear and leads swiftly toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is named; the verse glorifies the practice of hearing Śiva’s purāṇic narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied practice is kathā-śravaṇa—devotional listening to Śiva’s sacred accounts.