Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

ये महापातकैर्युक्ता उपपातकिनश्च ये । पुराणश्रवणादेव ते यांति परमं पदम्

Transliteration

ye mahāpātakairyuktā upapātakinaśca ye | purāṇaśravaṇādeva te yāṃti paramaṃ padam

Translation

Selbst die mit großen Sünden Beladenen, ja auch die mit geringeren Verfehlungen, erlangen durch das bloße Hören des Purāṇa den höchsten Stand.

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• महापातकैः: with great sins
• महापातकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• युक्ताः: endowed/associated
• युक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuj (धातु) → yukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past passive participle)

• उपपातकिनः: minor-sinners (upapātakins)
• उपपातकिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upa-pātakin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• पुराणश्रवणात्: from hearing the Purāṇa
• पुराणश्रवणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa-śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• यान्ति: go/attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator of the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamāḥ (addressed audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn recitation assembly: a seated narrator with palm-leaf manuscript, listeners of mixed backgrounds (including visibly remorseful sinners) receiving a luminous, cleansing radiance symbolizing pāpa-kṣaya and ‘parama pada’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇa-śravaṇa is presented as a powerful purifier capable of lifting even grave moral burdens toward the highest goal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse glorifies the salvific power of Purāṇic hearing.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (devout listening) to Purāṇa recitation as a purificatory practice.