Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मघ्नश्च सुरापी च स्तेयी च गुरुतल्पगः । नर्मदाचरितं शृण्वंस्तामब्दं योऽभिषेवते

Transliteration

brahmaghnaśca surāpī ca steyī ca gurutalpagaḥ | narmadācaritaṃ śṛṇvaṃstāmabdaṃ yo'bhiṣevate

Translation

ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣಹಂತಕ, ಸುರಾಪಾನಿ, ಕಳ್ಳ ಅಥವಾ ಗುರುಶಯ್ಯಾ-ಅಪರಾಧಿಯೂ—ನರ್ಮದಾ-ಚರಿತವನ್ನು ಶ್ರವಣಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಆ ವ್ರತವನ್ನು ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷ ಆಚರಿಸುವವನು—

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मघ्नः: slayer of a Brahmin
• ब्रह्मघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मघ्न (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + घ्न, कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (ब्रह्मणः घ्नः = ब्रह्महन्ता)

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

• सुरापी: drinker of liquor
• सुरापी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• स्तेयी: thief
• स्तेयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• गुरुतल्पगः: one who violates the teacher’s bed
• गुरुतल्पगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुतल्पग (प्रातिपदिक; गुरु + तल्प + ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गुरोः तल्पं गच्छति इति)

• नर्मदाचरितम्: the account/deeds of Narmadā
• नर्मदाचरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदाचरित (प्रातिपदिक; नर्मदा + चरित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नर्मदायाः चरितम्)

• शृण्वन्: hearing
• शृण्वन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक-कर्तरि शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘hearing’ (present active participle)

• ताम्: that (it)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अब्दम्: for a year
• अब्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अभिषेवते: serves/attends (devotedly)
• अभिषेवते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु) उपसर्गः अभि
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Revā Khaṇḍa; traditionally Sūta-like narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A penitent of heavy sins sits near the flowing Narmadā, listening to a reciter reading the Narmadā-māhātmya; the river is personified as a radiant goddess, while a full-year vow is symbolized by a circular garland/calendar motif.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustained devotional hearing of Narmadā’s sacred narrative is presented as a powerful remedy even for the gravest transgressions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā (Revā) and her tīrtha-culture are glorified through the vow-like practice of year-long śravaṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A year-long observance centered on listening to Narmadā-carita (abda-śravaṇa/vrata).