Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 101

Devanagari script

हत्यायुतप्रशमनीं तापत्रयविनाशिनीम् । यां वै श्रुत्वातिभक्त्या च कठिनो मृदुतां भजेत्

Transliteration

hatyāyutapraśamanīṃ tāpatrayavināśinīm | yāṃ vai śrutvātibhaktyā ca kaṭhino mṛdutāṃ bhajet

Translation

Elle apaise d’innombrables actes de violence et détruit les trois sortes d’afflictions. En vérité, en l’écoutant avec une dévotion profonde, même le cœur le plus dur devient doux.

Word by Word

• हत्यायुतप्रशमनीम्: pacifier of countless killings/sins
• हत्यायुतप्रशमनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रशमनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रशमनी’ = शमनकर्त्री, विशेषण

• तापत्रयविनाशिनीम्: destroyer of the threefold suffering
• तापत्रयविनाशिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• याम्: whom/which
• याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/निश्चयार्थक

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• अतिभक्त्या: with great devotion
• अतिभक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अति’ उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपदेन तीव्रता

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कठिनः: a hard (person)/one who is harsh
• कठिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कठिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (व्यक्तिवाचक)

• मृदुताम्: gentleness
• मृदुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृदुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक संज्ञा

• भजेत्: should attain/partake (of)
• भजेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Unspecified (māhātmya-style proclamation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Listeners sit in devotion as the narrative is spoken; a symbolic depiction of the three tāpas dissolving (storm clouds clearing, fever flames extinguishing, fear-phantoms fading). A stern figure’s face softens into gentleness.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya (implied by continuation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional hearing of sacred greatness not only removes suffering and sin but also refines inner disposition—from harshness to compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the implied locus of the māhātmya whose hearing yields these benefits.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa with intense bhakti (listening with devotion) is the recommended practice.