Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 94
सर्वेषां श्रेयसां बीजं सत्कथाश्रवणं नृणाम् । यस्तद्विहीनः स पशुः कथं मुच्येत बन्धनात्
sarveṣāṃ śreyasāṃ bījaṃ satkathāśravaṇaṃ nṛṇām | yastadvihīnaḥ sa paśuḥ kathaṃ mucyeta bandhanāt
Für die Menschen ist der Same allen wahren Heils das Hören heiliger Erzählungen. Wer dessen entbehrt, ist wie ein Tier — wie sollte er aus der Fessel frei werden?
Unspecified (didactic narrator/teacher within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)
Listener: A woman (and/or household audience)
Scene: A teacher expounds sacred discourse to attentive listeners; the contrast is implied between awakened humans and heedless, sense-driven life.
FAQs
Regularly hearing sacred teachings is foundational for spiritual uplift and freedom from bondage.
No particular sacred place is identified; the verse teaches a universal dharma of śravaṇa (devotional listening).
Satkathā-śravaṇa—devout listening to holy narratives and teachings.