Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

बाभ्रव्य उवाच । इति कृष्णमुखाच्छ्रुत्वा नारदस्य गुणान्नृपः । बभूव परमप्री तश्चक्रे तच्च तथा वचः

Transliteration

bābhravya uvāca | iti kṛṣṇamukhācchrutvā nāradasya guṇānnṛpaḥ | babhūva paramaprī taścakre tacca tathā vacaḥ

Translation

Bābhravya said: Thus, hearing from Kṛṣṇa’s own mouth the virtues of Nārada, the king became exceedingly delighted and acted exactly according to those words.

Word by Word

• बाभ्रव्यः: Bābhravya (name)
• बाभ्रव्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाभ्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• कृष्णमुखात्: from Kṛṣṇa’s mouth
• कृष्णमुखात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृष्णस्य मुखम्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• नारदस्य: of Nārada
• नारदस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• गुणान्: qualities
• गुणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• परमप्रीतः: very pleased
• परमप्रीतः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (परमा प्रीतिः यस्य/परमः प्रीतः)

• चक्रे: did / performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: so / in that manner
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• वचः: word(s) / statement
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Bābhravya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a Kaurava (Kuru-descended) king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, seated respectfully, listens as Kṛṣṇa speaks of Nārada’s virtues; the king’s face brightens with devotion and resolve, attendants and sages witnessing the moment of inner turning.

Characters & Entities

• Bābhravya
• Kṛṣṇa
• Nārada
• King (nṛpa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True śravaṇa (hearing sacred teaching) culminates in anuṣṭhāna—faithful action aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative; the site-focused mahātmya in the chapter centers on Nārada’s sacred well (Nārada-kūpa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a specific rite here; it emphasizes following the given instruction exactly.