Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

महदाख्यानमखिलं पापघ्नं पुण्यदं च यत् । पवित्रं यत्पवित्राणां महापातकनाशनम्

Transliteration

mahadākhyānamakhilaṃ pāpaghnaṃ puṇyadaṃ ca yat | pavitraṃ yatpavitrāṇāṃ mahāpātakanāśanam

Translation

ഈ സമഗ്ര മഹാഖ്യാനം പാപനാശകവും പുണ്യപ്രദവും ആകുന്നു; പവിത്രങ്ങളിൽ പരമപവിത്രം, മഹാപാതകനാശിനിയും ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying आख्यानम्)

• आख्यानम्: narrative, account
• आख्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अखिलम्: entire, complete
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying आख्यानम्)

• पापघ्नम्: sin-destroying
• पापघ्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying आख्यानम्)

• पुण्यदम्: merit-giving
• पुण्यदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying आख्यानम्)

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

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

• पवित्रम्: pure, sanctifying
• पवित्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (implied ‘आख्यानम्’)

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

• पवित्राणाम्: of the pure/sanctifiers
• पवित्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• महापातकनाशनम्: destroyer of great sins
• महापातकनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पातक + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (implied ‘आख्यानम्’)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya mahātmya (Sārasvata/Dvārāvatī context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teaching assembly: Mārkaṇḍeya recites the mahātmya to attentive brāhmaṇas; the spoken words are visualized as luminous script-like waves that cleanse dark stains (symbolic sins) from listeners.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāpātaka
• Punya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Listening to and upholding sacred tīrtha narratives is itself a dharmic practice that purifies and elevates.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing māhātmya context glorifies Sarasvatī and Dvārāvatī-associated tīrthas in Dharmāraṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the verse praises the spiritual efficacy of the māhātmya itself (hearing/reciting/remembering).