Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। सूत उवाच । शृणुध्वं मुनयः श्रेष्ठा वामदेवस्य भाषितम्

Transliteration

| sūta uvāca | śṛṇudhvaṃ munayaḥ śreṣṭhā vāmadevasya bhāṣitam

Translation

Sūta dit : Ô meilleurs des sages, écoutez les paroles prononcées par Vāmadeva.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणुध्वम्: listen
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन

• मुनयः: O sages
• मुनयः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि (addressed sages)

• श्रेष्ठाः: excellent / best
• श्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of मुनयः)

• वामदेवस्य: of Vāmadeva
• वामदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• भाषितम्: speech / what was spoken
• भाषितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाषित (कृदन्त; √भाष् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) used as noun; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya (implied frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni-s (best of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta stands or sits before an attentive circle of sages, hands in teaching gesture, announcing: ‘Listen, O best of sages, to Vāmadeva’s words.’ Palm-leaf manuscripts and sacrificial implements nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Vāmadeva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural wisdom is preserved through attentive listening and faithful transmission from seers to seekers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned in this verse; it is an introductory framing line for Vāmadeva’s narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it calls for śravaṇa (listening) to sacred discourse.