Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

सद्यो विधूय कृतिनो यांति शम्भोः परं पदम् । अतः संन्यस्तपुण्यानां सत्कथा साधनं परम्

Transliteration

sadyo vidhūya kṛtino yāṃti śambhoḥ paraṃ padam | ataḥ saṃnyastapuṇyānāṃ satkathā sādhanaṃ param

Translation

Sogleich die Unreinheit abschüttelnd, gelangen die Gesegneten zur höchsten Stätte Śambhus (Śivas). Darum ist für jene, die das bloße Vertrauen auf Verdienst aufgegeben haben, die heilige Rede das höchste Mittel.

Word by Word

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

• विधूय: having shaken off
• विधूय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-√dhū (धू धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); ‘having shaken off/removed’

• कृतिनः: the meritorious/fortunate ones
• कृतिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛtin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Nominative; Plural)

• यान्ति: go, attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: लट्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Present; 3rd person; Plural; Parasmaipada)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine; Genitive; Singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Accusative; Singular)

• पदम्: abode, state
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Accusative; Singular)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (indeclinable; ‘therefore’)

• संन्यस्तपुण्यानाम्: of those who have renounced (worldly) merit
• संन्यस्तपुण्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃ-√nyas (न्यस् धातु) + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Genitive; Plural); समासः: संन्यस्त-पुण्य (tatpuruṣa; ‘those who have renounced merits’)

• सत्कथा: good discourse
• सत्कथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat-kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Feminine; Nominative; Singular)

• साधनम्: means, instrument
• साधनम्: Pradhana (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Nom/Acc; Singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Nom/Acc; Singular)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa (unnamed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A renunciant releasing a bag labeled ‘puṇya’ into a river, then sitting to hear satkathā; above, a radiant Śiva-loka/Śambhu-pada opens like a luminous gateway.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rapid purification and steady sacred contemplation lead to Śiva’s supreme state; for the renunciant, sat-kathā is a foremost spiritual instrument.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular location is named; the verse glorifies Śiva’s paraṃ padam (supreme abode/state).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse recommends sat-kathā as a paramount sādhanā, especially for those oriented to renunciation.