Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

पुत्रपौत्रप्रपौत्रादि फलदात्रीं तथैव च । धारणाच्छ्रवणाच्चापि पठनाच्चावलोकनात्

Transliteration

putrapautraprapautrādi phaladātrīṃ tathaiva ca | dhāraṇācchravaṇāccāpi paṭhanāccāvalokanāt

Translation

Sie verleiht auch die Früchte von Söhnen, Enkeln und Urenkeln; und selbst durch bloßes Bewahren, durch Hören, Rezitieren oder nur durch Anschauen entsteht Verdienst (Puṇya).

Word by Word

• पुत्र: son
• पुत्र: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• पौत्र: grandson
• पौत्र: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• प्रपौत्र: great-grandson
• प्रपौत्र: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• आदि: and so on, etc.
• आदि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; समासे अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः ‘आदि’ = ‘इत्यादि’

• फलदात्रीम्: the giver of results/fruit
• फलदात्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल + दातृ (प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) + तृन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘फलस्य दात्री’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• धारणात्: from/through holding (memorizing)
• धारणात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक; √धृ (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (ablative of cause/source)

• श्रवणात्: from/through hearing
• श्रवणात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• पठनात्: from/through recitation/reading
• पठनात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठन (प्रातिपदिक; √पठ् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• अवलोकनात्: from/through seeing/looking at
• अवलोकनात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवलोकन (प्रातिपदिक; अव + √लोक् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma-khaṇḍa framing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A revered manuscript of the Dharmāraṇya-māhātmya is placed on a low wooden stand; devotees—householders and ascetics—listen, recite, and take respectful darśana; subtle imagery of a flourishing family-line (sons, grandsons) appears as symbolic vignettes.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred narrative itself is a vehicle of merit—hearing, reciting, preserving, or even reverently seeing it is dharmically fruitful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as a general phalaśruti for the Dharmāraṇya narrative rather than naming a single tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (hearing), pāṭha (recitation/reading), dhāraṇa (keeping the sacred account), and avalokana (reverent viewing) are presented as merit-generating observances.