Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

धर्मपुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा मार्कण्डेयो मुनीश्वरः । स्मितं कृत्वा बभाषे तां कथां पापप्रणाशनीम्

Transliteration

dharmaputravacaḥ śrutvā mārkaṇḍeyo munīśvaraḥ | smitaṃ kṛtvā babhāṣe tāṃ kathāṃ pāpapraṇāśanīm

Translation

ധർമ്മപുത്രന്റെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട് മുനീശ്വരൻ മാർകണ്ഡേയൻ മന്ദഹാസം ചെയ്തു; പിന്നെ പാപനാശിനിയായ ആ പുണ്യകഥ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• धर्मपुत्रवचः: the words of Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रवचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद (श्रुत्वा इत्यस्य)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); “having heard”

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• मुनीश्वरः: lord of sages
• मुनीश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन/विशेष्य

• स्मितम्: a smile
• स्मितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (कृत्वा इत्यस्य)

• कृत्वा: having made; having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); “having done”

• बभाषे: spoke
• बभाषे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (कथाम्)

• कथाम्: story; account
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• पापप्रणाशनीम्: sin-destroying
• पापप्रणाशनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + प्रणाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (कथाम्)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator introducing Mārkaṇḍeya’s reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kathā (within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka (frame, implied) / audience of sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya, serene and smiling, begins a sacred tale before Yudhiṣṭhira; disciples sit around, palm-leaf texts and a small fire altar nearby, indicating transmission of a sin-destroying kathā.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hearing and sharing sacred Purāṇic history is presented as a means to purify sin and strengthen dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse frames a purifying narration within the Revā Khaṇḍa setting but does not name a specific tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, kathā-śravaṇa (listening to sacred narration) is recommended as spiritually purifying.