Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

शिव उवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । ब्रह्मणश्च तथा पुत्र वंशस्यैवानुकीर्तनम्

Transliteration

śiva uvāca | ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi kathāṃ paurāṇikīṃ śubhām | brahmaṇaśca tathā putra vaṃśasyaivānukīrtanam

Translation

ശിവൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ഇനി ഞാൻ മംഗളകരമായ ഒരു പൗരാണിക കഥ പ്രസ്താവിക്കും; കൂടാതെ മകനേ, ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ വംശവും ക്രമമായി അനുകീർത്തനം ചെയ്യും.

Word by Word

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc nom sg)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्सभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd sg)

• अतः: thereafter/therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Discourse link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (therefore/thereafter)

• परम्: further/next
• परम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: further/next)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall narrate
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (future, 1st sg)

• कथाम्: a story
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (fem acc sg)

• पौराणिकीम्: purāṇic/traditional
• पौराणिकीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौराणिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (fem acc sg)

• शुभाम्: auspicious
• शुभाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (fem acc sg)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc gen sg)

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

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/तुल्यताबोधक-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc voc sg)

• वंशस्य: of the lineage
• वंशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc gen sg)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeed/just)

• अनुकीर्तनम्: the recounting/narration
• अनुकीर्तनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु + कीर्त् (धातु) → अनुकीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक/भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Śiva

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva seated in teaching posture, beginning an auspicious purāṇic discourse; a listener sits respectfully; behind them, symbolic palm-leaf manuscripts and a subtle cosmic backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic remembrance (anukīrtana) of divine lineages is treated as auspicious and dharma-strengthening.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named in this announcement verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act implied is anukīrtana (reverent recitation/listening), but no formal vrata or donation is specified.