Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

सहस्रनामपठनं पुराणपठनं तथा । कर्त्तव्यं सकृपं चित्तं सतां शुश्रूषणं तथा

Transliteration

sahasranāmapaṭhanaṃ purāṇapaṭhanaṃ tathā | karttavyaṃ sakṛpaṃ cittaṃ satāṃ śuśrūṣaṇaṃ tathā

Translation

Man soll das Sahasranāma (die Tausend Namen) rezitieren und ebenso die Purāṇas lesen; ein mitfühlendes Herz bewahren und den Tugendhaften dienen.

Word by Word

• सहस्रनाम-पठनम्: recitation of the thousand names
• सहस्रनाम-पठनम्: Karta (Item in injunction list/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्रनामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सहस्रनाम्नः पठनम्)

• पुराण-पठनम्: reading of the Purana
• पुराण-पठनम्: Karta (Item in injunction list/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + पठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पुराणस्य पठनम्)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)

• कर्त्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्त्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (कर्तव्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be done)

• स-कृपम्: compassionate
• स-कृपम्: Karta (Qualifier of citta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्गसदृश 'स-' = सहित (with)

• चित्तम्: mind
• चित्तम्: Karta (Subject of 'karttavyam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous people
• सताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• शुश्रूषणम्: service/attendance
• शुश्रूषणम्: Karta (Item in injunction list/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक) [श्रु धातोः इच्छार्थक-नाम]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (also)

Speaker

Śrī Nārada (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims seated in a dharmaśālā courtyard reading a Purāṇa while another leads sahasranāma recitation; nearby, a devotee offers water and respectful service to an elderly saint; faces compassionate and attentive.

Characters & Entities

• Sahasranāma
• Purāṇa
• Sat (the virtuous)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti is sustained by sacred recitation, scriptural hearing, compassion, and service to the holy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, with emphasis on the devotional practices suitable for the pilgrim journey.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recite sahasranāma, read Purāṇas, cultivate compassion, and serve virtuous persons.