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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

पुराणानां नैव पाठः श्रवणं कारयेत्सदा । स्मृत्युक्तं सुगुरोर्ग्राह्यं न पाठः श्रवणादिकम्

purāṇānāṃ naiva pāṭhaḥ śravaṇaṃ kārayetsadā | smṛtyuktaṃ sugurorgrāhyaṃ na pāṭhaḥ śravaṇādikam

On ne doit pas sans cesse organiser la récitation ou l’écoute des Purāṇa. Qu’on reçoive plutôt, d’un guru digne, ce qui est enseigné dans les Smṛti — et non la seule récitation, l’écoute et autres pratiques semblables.

पुराणानाम्of the Purāṇas
पुराणानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन
not
:
Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)
पाठःrecitation
पाठः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन
श्रवणम्hearing
श्रवणम्:
Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; पाठः इत्यस्य सहपद (co-subject)
कारयेत्should cause (to be done)
कारयेत्:
Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative: “should cause to be done”)
सदाalways
सदा:
Kala (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक (adverb “always”)
स्मृत्युक्तम्prescribed in Smṛti
स्मृत्युक्तम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, वच्/वद्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (“said in Smṛti”), विशेषण (of “grāhyam”)
सुगुरोःof a good teacher
सुगुरोः:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootसु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (“good guru”)
ग्राह्यम्to be accepted
ग्राह्यम्:
Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; कृतान्त-कर्तव्यता (gerundive: “to be accepted”)
not
:
Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
पाठःrecitation
पाठः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन
श्रवणादिकम्hearing and the like
श्रवणादिकम्:
Karta (Appositive/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (“hearing etc.” = hearing and the like)

Narrative voice continuing Īśvara’s discourse (speaker implicit from surrounding verses)

Listener: Skanda (and audience implied)

Scene: A guru instructs a pilgrim assembly: one hand indicating a smṛti text, the other in teaching gesture; listeners sit with folded hands; a Purāṇa manuscript rests aside, suggesting ‘not mere recitation’ but guided instruction.

P
Purāṇas
S
Smṛti
G
Guru

FAQs

It emphasizes receiving dharma guidance through an authentic teacher and established smṛti norms rather than relying solely on public recitation/hearing.

No specific sacred site is referenced in this verse.

Guidance about not constantly organizing Purāṇa recitation/hearing, and instead learning smṛti-based instruction from a qualified guru.