Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ततः पुण्यां कथां दिव्यां श्रावयामास धर्मवित् । कथांते मुनिशार्दूलं वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tataḥ puṇyāṃ kathāṃ divyāṃ śrāvayāmāsa dharmavit | kathāṃte muniśārdūlaṃ vacanaṃ cedamabravīt

Translation

Alors, le connaisseur du Dharma fit entendre un récit saint et divin. Au terme de l’histoire, il adressa ces paroles au tigre parmi les munis.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: काल/अनन्तर-अव्यय — adverb of sequence (‘thereupon’)

• पुण्याम्: holy
• पुण्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; ‘कथाम्’ विशेषण

• कथाम्: story, discourse
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• दिव्याम्: divine
• दिव्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; ‘कथाम्’ विशेषण

• श्रावयामास: recited, caused (them) to hear
• श्रावयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रावय (णिच्) + आमास (लिट्-परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रश्न/भूतार्थे), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; causative ‘caused to hear/recited’

• धर्मवित्: knower of dharma
• धर्मवित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धर्मं वेत्ति’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; तत्पुरुष (धर्मं वेत्ति इति)

• कथा-अन्ते: at the end of the story
• कथा-अन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular; तत्पुरुष (कथायाः अन्ते)

• मुनिशार्दूलम्: the tiger among sages
• मुनिशार्दूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; कर्मधारय (मुनिः एव शार्दूलः)

• वचनम्: words, speech
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय — conjunction

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni-śārdūla (addressed indirectly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharma-knower (elder sage) begins a sacred discourse; listeners sit attentive. At the conclusion, he turns toward the foremost sage (‘muni-śārdūla’) and delivers a concise instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma (dharma-vit)
• Muni-śārdūla (an eminent sage; unnamed here)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred listening and recitation of divine kathā is presented as a meritorious vehicle for transmitting dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; it is a framing verse within the Dharmāraṇya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (hearing) of puṇya-kathā is implied as a devotional practice.