Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

व्यासपुत्राद्धरिकथां श्रुतवान्भक्तिपूर्वकम् । अरक्षित्वा नृपं तं त्वं वचसा तक्षकस्य यत्

Transliteration

vyāsaputrāddharikathāṃ śrutavānbhaktipūrvakam | arakṣitvā nṛpaṃ taṃ tvaṃ vacasā takṣakasya yat

Translation

വ്യാസപുത്രനിൽ നിന്ന് ഭക്തിപൂർവ്വം ഹരികഥ ശ്രവിച്ചിട്ടും, തക്ഷകന്റെ വചനനിമിത്തം നീ ആ രാജാവിനെ രക്ഷിച്ചില്ല।

Word by Word

• व्यासपुत्रात्: from Vyāsa's son
• व्यासपुत्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यासपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) = व्यास + पुत्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यासस्य पुत्रः)

• हरिकथाम्: the story of Hari
• हरिकथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिकथा (प्रातिपदिक) = हरि + कथा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरेः कथा)

• श्रुतवान्: (you) have heard
• श्रुतवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्तवतु (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: devoutly; with devotion
• भक्तिपूर्वकम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्तिपूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक) = भक्ति + पूर्वक
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverbial)

• अरक्षित्वा: without protecting; having failed to protect
• अरक्षित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); नञ्-प्रत्ययेन निषेधः (a-); ‘not having protected’

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वचसा: by the word; by the statement
• वचसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तक्षकस्य: of Takṣaka
• तक्षकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• यत्: which; that (statement)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

Speaker

Not explicit in snippet (Setukhaṇḍa narrative voice; admonitory address)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembly of sages (e.g., Śaunaka group) / tīrtha-inquirers (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned assembly recalls Parīkṣit’s last days: Śuka reciting Hari-kathā, the looming serpent Takṣaka, and a healer/guardian figure criticized for failing to protect the king.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Śuka
• Hari
• Takṣaka
• Parīkṣit

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional hearing alone is not enough; dharma also demands timely protective action when one has the capacity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it is part of the Setu Māhātmya chapter’s ethical narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it references śravaṇa (devotional hearing) but not as a formal rite here.