Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अहो हे गौतमाचार्य्य ऋषयो नारदादयः । शृण्वंतु तीर्थक्षेत्राणि कृपया संवदाम्यहम्

Transliteration

aho he gautamācāryya ṛṣayo nāradādayaḥ | śṛṇvaṃtu tīrthakṣetrāṇi kṛpayā saṃvadāmyaham

Translation

« Ô vénérable maître Gautama, et vous, sages ṛṣi à commencer par Nārada, écoutez. Par compassion, je parlerai des tīrtha saints et des régions sacrées. »

Word by Word

• अहो: ah!
• अहो: Exclamation (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयादि-बोधक-अव्यय (exclamation)

• हे: O
• हे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• गौतम-आचार्य: O teacher Gautama
• गौतम-आचार्य: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गौतमः आचार्यः)

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नारद-आदयः: beginning with Nārada
• नारद-आदयः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नारदः आदिः येषाम्)

• शृण्वन्तु: let (them) hear
• शृण्वन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तीर्थ-क्षेत्राणि: the sacred fords and holy places
• तीर्थ-क्षेत्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (तीर्थाणि च क्षेत्राणि च)

• कृपया: out of compassion
• कृपया: Hetu/Instrument (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संवदामि: I speak / I will tell
• संवदामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Divyavāṇī (Divine Voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tīrtha-kṣetra-saṅgraha (forthcoming list; introduction)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gautama (addressed as ācārya), Nārada, and other sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of sages—Gautama prominent, Nārada with vīṇā—sit attentive as a radiant, bodiless voice descends like light; the atmosphere is compassionate and instructive, with manuscripts and water-pots nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Nārada
• Rishis
• Tīrthas
• Kṣetras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassionate revelation of tīrthas is framed as a remedy for confusion and sorrow, guiding seekers toward merit and clarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse introduces the forthcoming glorification; Dvārakā and related coastal sacred sites are described next.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is śravaṇa (devout listening) to tīrtha-māhātmya, a traditional means of accruing merit and insight.