Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

प्राप्यते जन्मकोटीभिः शुभाशुभविनाशकम् । एतदेव परं ज्ञानं द्वादशाक्षरचिन्तनम्

Transliteration

prāpyate janmakoṭībhiḥ śubhāśubhavināśakam | etadeva paraṃ jñānaṃ dvādaśākṣaracintanam

Translation

ഇത് കോടി കോടി ജന്മങ്ങൾക്ക് ശേഷം ലഭിക്കുന്നു; ശുഭാശുഭ കർമാവശേഷങ്ങളെ നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ഇതുതന്നെ പരമ ജ്ഞാനം—ദ്വാദശാക്ഷര മന്ത്രചിന്തനം।

Word by Word

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• जन्मकोटीभिः: by crores of births
• जन्मकोटीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मकोटि (प्रातिपदिक; जन्मन् + कोटि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘जन्मनां कोटिभिः’ (instrumental: by/through)

• शुभाशुभविनाशकम्: destroyer of good and evil (merit and sin)
• शुभाशुभविनाशकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभाशुभविनाशक (प्रातिपदिक; शुभ + अशुभ + विनाशक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘शुभ’+‘अशुभ’ इति द्वन्द्वः, ततः ‘विनाशक’ इति तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः (समाहार-द्वन्द्वपूर्वकं विनाशक-विशेषणम्)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञा (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्वादशाक्षरचिन्तनम्: contemplation of the twelve-syllabled (mantra)
• द्वादशाक्षरचिन्तनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशाक्षरचिन्तन (प्रातिपदिक; द्वादश + अक्षर + चिन्तन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘द्वादश-अक्षरस्य चिन्तनम्’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A meditator with closed eyes; above, a wheel of twelve syllables rotates as a luminous mandala; two streams labeled 'śubha' and 'aśubha' dissolve into clear light, symbolizing karmic residue ending.

Characters & Entities

• Dvādaśākṣara (twelve-syllable mantra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Deep contemplation of the twelve-syllable mantra is identified as supreme knowledge that dissolves karmic dualities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named site appears in this verse; it provides doctrinal emphasis within the tīrtha-focused chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cintana (meditative contemplation) on the twelve-syllable mantra.