Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

एतत्कथान्तरं पुण्यमृषेर्द्वैपायनात्पुरा । श्रुतं हि नैमिषे पुण्ये नारदाद्यैरनेकधा

Transliteration

etatkathāntaraṃ puṇyamṛṣerdvaipāyanātpurā | śrutaṃ hi naimiṣe puṇye nāradādyairanekadhā

Translation

Ce saint récit complémentaire fut jadis entendu du sage Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa). En vérité, dans la forêt sacrée de Naimiṣa, il fut écouté maintes fois, de bien des manières, par Nārada et d’autres ṛṣi.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (kathāntaram इति)

• kathā-antaram: an episode/another account (within the story)
• kathā-antaram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कथायाः अन्तरम्)

• puṇyam: meritorious/holy
• puṇyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (kathā-antaram इति)

• ṛṣeḥ: of the sage
• ṛṣeḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• dvaipāyanāt: from Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• dvaipāyanāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvaipāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: formerly)

• śrutam: was heard
• śrutam: Kriya (Predicative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु) + ta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेयम्

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्ययम् (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• naimiṣe: at Naimiṣa (forest/sacred place)
• naimiṣe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naimiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (स्थानवाचक)

• puṇye: holy
• puṇye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (naimiṣe इति)

• nārada-ādyaiḥ: by Nārada and others
• nārada-ādyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नारदः आदिः येषाम् ते)

• anekadhā: in many ways
• anekadhā: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anekadhā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: in many ways)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (deduced from Naimiṣa frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage at Naimiṣa: sages seated in a circle, Nārada with vīṇā, a speaker recounting Vyāsa’s words; sacrificial fire and deer in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• Naimiṣa
• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It grounds the teaching in an authoritative lineage—heard from Vyāsa and preserved by sages—encouraging faithful listening to Purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Naimiṣāraṇya is highlighted as a supremely holy place where Purāṇic teachings are traditionally heard.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes śravaṇa (devotional listening) and the sanctity of the transmission.