Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 146

Devanagari script

य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या गौतमाख्यानमुत्तमम् । पुत्रपौत्रप्रियं प्राप्य स याति पदमव्ययम्

Transliteration

ya idaṃ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā gautamākhyānamuttamam | putrapautrapriyaṃ prāpya sa yāti padamavyayam

Translation

ഭക്തിയോടെ ഗൗതമന്റെ ഈ ഉത്തമാഖ്യാനം ശ്രവിക്കുന്നവൻ, പുത്രപൗത്രപ്രിയമായ ഫലം പ്രാപിച്ച് അവ്യയപദം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शृणुयात्: should hear
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गौतमाख्यानम्: the story of Gautama
• गौतमाख्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—गौतमस्य आख्यानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गौतमाख्यानम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पुत्रपौत्रप्रियम्: dear (blessing) of sons and grandsons
• पुत्रपौत्रप्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + पौत्र + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—पुत्रपौत्रयोः प्रियम् (द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद + षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); (फलरूपं वस्तु)

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): having obtained

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautamākhyāna-associated kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees gathered to hear the Gautama account; above them, a symbolic ‘imperishable state’ is suggested by a radiant, unsetting light; family figures (sons/grandsons) appear as blessings.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional listening to holy narratives grants both worldly well-being and the highest imperishable goal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s Gautama-centered sacred complex—Gautama-liṅga and the associated tīrtha (Ahalyā-saras).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhakti-śravaṇa: hearing the Gautama narrative with devotion is itself prescribed as a meritorious act.