Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

व्यासपुत्राद्धरिकथां श्रुतवान्भक्तिपूर्वकम् । अरक्षित्वा नृपं तं त्वं वचसा तक्षकस्य यत्

Transliteration

vyāsaputrāddharikathāṃ śrutavānbhaktipūrvakam | arakṣitvā nṛpaṃ taṃ tvaṃ vacasā takṣakasya yat

Translation

Obwohl du von Vyāsas Sohn in hingebungsvoller Weise die heilige Erzählung von Hari vernommen hast, hast du jenen König dennoch nicht geschützt—wegen der Worte, die Takṣaka betrafen.

Word by Word

• व्यासपुत्रात्: from Vyāsa's son
• व्यासपुत्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यासपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) = व्यास + पुत्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यासस्य पुत्रः)

• हरिकथाम्: the story of Hari
• हरिकथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिकथा (प्रातिपदिक) = हरि + कथा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरेः कथा)

• श्रुतवान्: (you) have heard
• श्रुतवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्तवतु (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: devoutly; with devotion
• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्तिपूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक) = भक्ति + पूर्वक
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial)

• अरक्षित्वा: without protecting; having failed to protect
• अरक्षित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); नञ्-प्रत्ययेन निषेधः (a-); ‘not having protected’

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वचसा: by the word; by the statement
• वचसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तक्षकस्य: of Takṣaka
• तक्षकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• यत्: which; that (statement)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

Speaker

Not explicit in snippet (Setukhaṇḍa narrative voice; admonitory address)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembly of sages (e.g., Śaunaka group) / tīrtha-inquirers (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned assembly recalls Parīkṣit’s last days: Śuka reciting Hari-kathā, the looming serpent Takṣaka, and a healer/guardian figure criticized for failing to protect the king.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Śuka
• Hari
• Takṣaka
• Parīkṣit

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional hearing alone is not enough; dharma also demands timely protective action when one has the capacity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it is part of the Setu Māhātmya chapter’s ethical narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it references śravaṇa (devotional hearing) but not as a formal rite here.