Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

य इमं श्रुणुयान्मर्त्यो वाचयेत्पाठयेच्च वा । श्लोकं वा सर्वमपि च तस्य पुण्यक्षयो न हि

Transliteration

ya imaṃ śruṇuyānmartyo vācayetpāṭhayecca vā | ślokaṃ vā sarvamapi ca tasya puṇyakṣayo na hi

Translation

Tout mortel qui l’entend, ou le récite, ou le fait réciter—qu’il s’agisse d’un seul śloka ou de l’ensemble—ne subit jamais aucune diminution de son mérite.

Word by Word

• यः: who (whoever)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शृणुयात्: should hear
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• मर्त्यः: a mortal (man)
• मर्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to यः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाचयेत्: should cause (someone) to recite / should have it read
• वाचयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) (णिच् causative: वाचय)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to recite/read’)

• पाठयेत्: should cause (someone) to read/teach
• पाठयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु) (णिच् causative: पाठय)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to read/teach’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• श्लोकम्: a verse
• श्लोकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• सर्वम्: the whole (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘समस्तम्’ अर्थे

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• पुण्यक्षयः: loss/decay of merit
• पुण्यक्षयः: Karta (कर्ता; subject of ‘न’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पुण्यस्य क्षयः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतौ-अव्यय (indeed/for)

Speaker

Brahmā (phalaśruti style closing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A recitation gathering: a reader with palm-leaf manuscript recites; listeners sit attentively; a subtle luminous aura suggests ‘akṣaya puṇya’ flowing; the setting could be a temple hall or ashram veranda.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Engaging with sacred narrative through listening and recitation is itself a durable source of spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The phalaśruti applies to the chapter’s tīrtha-māhātmya context (Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra), though the verse states a general benefit of hearing/reciting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (hearing), pāṭha (recitation), and pāṭhana (teaching/causing to be read) of the text are recommended.