Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अथ प्रतिदिनं श्रोतुमशक्तो यदि मानवः । पुण्यमासेषु वा पुण्ये दिने पुण्यतिथिष्वपि

Transliteration

atha pratidinaṃ śrotumaśakto yadi mānavaḥ | puṇyamāseṣu vā puṇye dine puṇyatithiṣvapi

Translation

And if a person is unable to listen every day, then he should listen in holy months, or on auspicious days, and also on meritorious lunar dates (tithis).

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• प्रतिदिनम्: every day
• प्रतिदिनम्: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• श्रोतुम्: to listen
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रोतुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive/तुमर्थ), अव्ययभाव

• अशक्तः: unable
• अशक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-सम्बन्धक

• मानवः: a human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पुण्यमासेषु: in holy months
• पुण्यमासेषु: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + मास (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (पुण्याः मासाः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• पुण्ये: holy
• पुण्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण

• दिने: on a day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• पुण्यतिथिषु: on holy lunar dates
• पुण्यतिथिषु: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + तिथि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (पुण्याः तिथयः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa (contextual; not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṇya-kāla śravaṇa (holy-month/day/tithi listening)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A festive temple or home gathering on an auspicious tithi; devotees listen to kathā with offerings, lamps, and flowers, indicating puṇya-kāla observance.

Characters & Entities

• Puṇya-māsa
• Puṇya-tithi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When daily practice is not feasible, align spiritual listening with auspicious times to sustain merit and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse emphasizes sacred time (māsa, dina, tithi) rather than sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Hear the kathā during holy months, auspicious days, or auspicious tithis if daily listening is not possible.