Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15
Devanagari script
यथा प्रदीपे ज्वलिते प्रणश्यति महत्तमः । तथा हरेः कथायां च याति पापमनेकधा
Transliteration
yathā pradīpe jvalite praṇaśyati mahattamaḥ | tathā hareḥ kathāyāṃ ca yāti pāpamanekadhā
Translation
വിളക്ക് തെളിയുമ്പോൾ മഹാന്ധകാരം നശിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, ഹരികഥയിൽ പാപം പലവിധത്തിൽ അകന്നു പോകുന്നു.
Word by Word
यथाjust as
यथा:
Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानार्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (correlative adverb: 'as/just as')
प्रदीपेin a lamp
प्रदीपे:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootpradīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन
ज्वलितेwhen (it is) burning/lit
ज्वलिते:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootjval (धातु) + jvalita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'प्रदीपे' इति विशेषण (when lit)
प्रणश्यतिperishes, is destroyed
प्रणश्यति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√naś (नश् धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
महत्तमःgreat darkness
महत्तमः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahattama (प्रातिपदिक; तमप्-प्रत्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन
तथाso, likewise
तथा:
Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; तदनुरूपार्थक (correlative adverb: 'so/likewise')
हरेःof Hari
हरेः:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Roothari (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
कथायाम्in the story/discourse
कथायाम्:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootkathā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)
यातिgoes away, is removed
याति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√yā (या धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
पापम्sin
पापम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (object)
अनेकधाin many ways
अनेकधा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootanekadhā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'in many ways')
Speaker
Īśvara (Śiva)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A lamp is lit in a dark shrine-hall; shadows flee as devotees listen to a storyteller reciting Hari-kathā; sin is allegorized as dark figures dissolving into light.
Characters & Entities
H
Hari (Viṣṇu)K
Kathā (sacred discourse)FAQs
Devotional listening and speaking of Hari’s kathā is a direct purifier that dispels sin as light dispels darkness.
No named tīrtha; the verse emphasizes the universal efficacy of Hari-kathā.
Engage in Hari-kathā (hearing/reciting sacred narratives), especially apt for vrata seasons like Cāturmāsya.