Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

सर्वेषां श्रेयसां बीजं सत्कथाश्रवणं नृणाम् । यस्तद्विहीनः स पशुः कथं मुच्येत बन्धनात्

Transliteration

sarveṣāṃ śreyasāṃ bījaṃ satkathāśravaṇaṃ nṛṇām | yastadvihīnaḥ sa paśuḥ kathaṃ mucyeta bandhanāt

Translation

For human beings, the seed of all true welfare is the hearing of sacred discourse. One who is devoid of it is like a beast—how could such a one be freed from bondage?

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• श्रेयसाम्: of auspicious goods/benefits
• श्रेयसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (neuter genitive plural)

• बीजम्: seed/source
• बीजम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular)

• सत्कथा: holy discourse
• सत्कथा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat + kathā (प्रातिपदिक; घटक: सत् + कथा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (fem nom/acc sg; in compound)

• श्रवणम्: hearing
• श्रवणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √śru/श्रु + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular; action noun)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (masculine genitive plural)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc nominative singular; relative pronoun)

• तत्: that (hearing)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter accusative singular; ‘that’)

• विहीनः: devoid (of)
• विहीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vihīna (प्रातिपदिक; vi-√hā/हा + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc nom sg; ‘deprived’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc nominative singular)

• पशुः: beast
• पशुः: Pratijna (Predicate nominal/प्रत्यय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc nominative singular)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• मुच्येत: could be freed
• मुच्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative, 3rd sg; passive sense ‘be released’)

• बन्धनात्: from bondage
• बन्धनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (neuter ablative singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic narrator/teacher within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A woman (and/or household audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher expounds sacred discourse to attentive listeners; the contrast is implied between awakened humans and heedless, sense-driven life.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regularly hearing sacred teachings is foundational for spiritual uplift and freedom from bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred place is identified; the verse teaches a universal dharma of śravaṇa (devotional listening).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Satkathā-śravaṇa—devout listening to holy narratives and teachings.