Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वाध्यायमिमं पुण्यं सर्वकल्मषनाशनम् । समस्तचिंतितफलप्रदं मर्त्यो भवेत्कृती

Transliteration

śrutvādhyāyamimaṃ puṇyaṃ sarvakalmaṣanāśanam | samastaciṃtitaphalapradaṃ martyo bhavetkṛtī

Translation

Wer dieses heilige Kapitel hört, das alle Befleckungen vernichtet, wird als Sterblicher erfolgreich und vollendet; denn es gewährt jede erbetene Frucht.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having heard'

• अध्यायम्: the chapter
• अध्यायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (this)

• पुण्यम्: holy
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (meritorious/holy)

• सर्वकल्मषनाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वकल्मषनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-kalmaṣa-nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सर्वेषां कल्मषाणां नाशनम् (destroyer of all sins)

• समस्तचिंतितफलप्रदम्: giver of all wished-for results
• समस्तचिंतितफलप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta-cintita-phala-prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: समस्तं चिंतितं फलं प्रददाति (giver of all desired fruits)

• मर्त्यः: a mortal
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/सम्भावना), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृती: accomplished, fortunate
• कृती: Visheshya (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (accomplished/fortunate)

Speaker

Vyāsa (phalaśruti voice in narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-khaṇḍa adhyāya (this sacred chapter)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General listener/reader (adhikārī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee listens attentively to the recitation of a sacred chapter; subtle radiance suggests sins dissolving and wishes being fulfilled.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional hearing of māhātmya is itself a transformative practice, purifying sin and supporting human flourishing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter being praised belongs to the Kāśī-māhātmya stream of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa—listening to the chapter with faith—is presented as the efficacious practice.