Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

प्रयाणकाले पठतो न् भीतिरुपजायते । एतत्स्तोत्रस्य पठनाद्भूतवेतालकादयः

Transliteration

prayāṇakāle paṭhato n bhītirupajāyate | etatstotrasya paṭhanādbhūtavetālakādayaḥ

Translation

പ്രയാണകാലത്ത് (മരണസമയത്ത്) ഈ സ്തോത്രം പാരായണം ചെയ്യുന്നവന് ഭയം ഉദിക്കുകയില്ല. ഈ സ്തോത്രപാരായണത്താൽ ഭൂത-വേതാളാദി ഉപദ്രവങ്ങൾ ശമിച്ച് അകന്നുപോകും.

Word by Word

• प्रयाणकाले: at the time of departure
• प्रयाणकाले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाण-काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रयाणस्य कालः)

• पठतः: of (one) reciting
• पठतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (पठतः = of one who recites)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• भीतिः: fear
• भीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उपजायते: arises
• उपजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• एतत्: of this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (स्तोत्रस्य)

• स्तोत्रस्य: of the hymn
• स्तोत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पठनात्: from recitation
• पठनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (ablative of cause)

• भूतवेतालकादयः: ghosts, vetālas, and the like
• भूतवेतालकादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + वेताल + क (प्रातिपदिक); आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः (भूतवेतालकाः) तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः; 'आदयः' = आदि-शब्दः (and others)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing the phalaśruti from v.78)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra / Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee at the threshold of death recites a hymn; shadowy bhūtas and vetālas recoil as a protective aura forms, with Setu’s sea-horizon and a distant bridge-like causeway implied.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Bhūta
• Vetāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred remembrance at life’s final threshold dispels fear; devotion functions as spiritual protection and steadiness of mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The promise is delivered within Setukhaṇḍa’s Setu/Rāmeśvaram-centered Māhātmya, where recitation and pilgrimage are treated as highly meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of the stotra at the time of ‘prayāṇa’ (departure/death) is recommended for fearlessness and protection.