Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यत्कथाश्रवणं शंभोः संसारभयनाशनम् । सद्योमुक्तिकरं श्लाघ्यं पवित्रं सर्वदेहिनाम्

Transliteration

yatkathāśravaṇaṃ śaṃbhoḥ saṃsārabhayanāśanam | sadyomuktikaraṃ ślāghyaṃ pavitraṃ sarvadehinām

Translation

ശംഭുവിന്റെ കഥാശ്രവണം സംസാരഭയം നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. അത് സദ്യോമുക്തി നൽകുന്നതും, ശ്ലാഘ്യവും, സർവ്വ ദേഹികളെയും പവിത്രമാക്കുന്നതുമാണ്.

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• कथाश्रवणम्: hearing of the story
• कथाश्रवणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कथायाः श्रवणम्’

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• संसारभयनाशनम्: destroyer of fear of worldly existence
• संसारभयनाशनम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘संसार-भयस्य नाशनम्’

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘immediately’

• मुक्तिकरम्: bringing liberation
• मुक्तिकरम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मुक्तिं करोति’ (causing liberation)

• श्लाघ्यम्: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्यम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक; श्लाघ् धातु + य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाव्य/योग्य-अर्थ (praiseworthy)

• पवित्रम्: pure, purifying
• पवित्रम्: Pradhana-pada (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वदेहिनाम्: of all embodied beings
• सर्वदेहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः: ‘सर्वे देहिनः’

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa (contextual; not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śambhu-kathā (portable tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A congregation listening to a Śiva-kathā: a reciter (paurāṇika) before a Śiva-liṅga or Śiva icon; listeners’ fear dissolves as a dark cloud lifts, replaced by a radiant aura signifying purification and release.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Saṃsāra
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-kathā śravaṇa is portrayed as a direct purifier that uproots worldly fear and leads swiftly toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is named; the verse glorifies the practice of hearing Śiva’s purāṇic narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied practice is kathā-śravaṇa—devotional listening to Śiva’s sacred accounts.