Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

सत्यं ब्रवीमि परलोकहितं ब्रवीमि सारं ब्रवीम्युपनिषद्धृदयं ब्रवीमि । संसारमुल्बणमसारमवाप्य जंतोः सारो यमीश्वरपदांबुरुहस्य सेवा

Transliteration

satyaṃ bravīmi paralokahitaṃ bravīmi sāraṃ bravīmyupaniṣaddhṛdayaṃ bravīmi | saṃsāramulbaṇamasāramavāpya jaṃtoḥ sāro yamīśvarapadāṃburuhasya sevā

Translation

I speak the truth; I speak what brings welfare in the next world; I speak the essence; I speak the very heart of the Upaniṣads: for a being who has entered this harsh and hollow cycle of saṃsāra, the true essence is service at the lotus-feet of the Lord of Yama—Śiva.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Content/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of content)

• ब्रवीमि: I speak
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परलोक-हितम्: what is beneficial for the next world
• परलोक-हितम्: Karma (Content/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; परलोकस्य हितम् (benefit for the next world)

• ब्रवीमि: I speak
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सारम्: the essence
• सारम्: Karma (Content/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रवीमि: I speak
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• उपनिषद्-हृदयम्: the heart of the Upaniṣads
• उपनिषद्-हृदयम्: Karma (Content/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपनिषद् (प्रातिपदिक) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपनिषदां हृदयम् (the heart/central teaching of the Upaniṣads)

• ब्रवीमि: I speak
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• संसारम्: worldly existence
• संसारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उल्बणम्: terrible/violent
• उल्बणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उल्बण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् संसारम् प्रति

• असारम्: essenceless
• असारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (निषेध) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् संसारम् प्रति

• अवाप्य: having experienced
• अवाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having obtained/experienced’

• जन्तोः: of a creature/person
• जन्तोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सारः: the essence
• सारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• यम-ईश्वर-पद-अम्बुरुहस्य: of the lotus-feet of Yameśvara
• यम-ईश्वर-पद-अम्बुरुहस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; यमस्य ईश्वरः (यमीश्वरः) तस्य पदाम्बुरुहस्य (lotus-feet)

• सेवा: service/devotion
• सेवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Unknown (devotional narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yameśvara (as a theological epithet of Śiva; not necessarily the Kāśī shrine)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous Śiva (as Yameśvara) seated in serene majesty; a devotee prostrates at His lotus-feet; behind them, the wheel of saṃsāra appears as a dark, hollow vortex contrasted with the radiance of service.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Yamīśvara)
• Upaniṣad

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The ‘essence’ of spiritual life is bhakti—service to Śiva’s lotus-feet—which transcends fear of death and saṃsāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse is a doctrinal summary praising Śiva-bhakti as the Upaniṣadic essence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā (devotional service) to Śiva is taught as the core practice; in this chapter it aligns with Pradoṣa-time worship.