Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

य इमं श्रुणुयान्मर्त्यो वाचयेत्पाठयेच्च वा । श्लोकं वा सर्वमपि च तस्य पुण्यक्षयो न हि

Transliteration

ya imaṃ śruṇuyānmartyo vācayetpāṭhayecca vā | ślokaṃ vā sarvamapi ca tasya puṇyakṣayo na hi

Translation

ഏത് മനുഷ്യൻ ഇതു കേൾക്കുകയോ, സ്വയം പാരായണം ചെയ്യുകയോ, മറ്റൊരാളെ പാരായണം ചെയ്യിപ്പിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യുന്നു—ഒരു ശ്ലോകമാത്രമായാലും മുഴുവനായാലും—അവന്റെ പുണ്യം ഒരിക്കലും ക്ഷയിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

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

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

• शृणुयात्: should hear
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• मर्त्यः: a mortal (man)
• मर्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to यः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाचयेत्: should cause (someone) to recite / should have it read
• वाचयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) (णिच् causative: वाचय)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to recite/read’)

• पाठयेत्: should cause (someone) to read/teach
• पाठयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु) (णिच् causative: पाठय)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to read/teach’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• श्लोकम्: a verse
• श्लोकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• सर्वम्: the whole (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘समस्तम्’ अर्थे

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• पुण्यक्षयः: loss/decay of merit
• पुण्यक्षयः: Karta (कर्ता; subject of ‘न’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पुण्यस्य क्षयः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतौ-अव्यय (indeed/for)

Speaker

Brahmā (phalaśruti style closing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A recitation gathering: a reader with palm-leaf manuscript recites; listeners sit attentively; a subtle luminous aura suggests ‘akṣaya puṇya’ flowing; the setting could be a temple hall or ashram veranda.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Engaging with sacred narrative through listening and recitation is itself a durable source of spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The phalaśruti applies to the chapter’s tīrtha-māhātmya context (Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra), though the verse states a general benefit of hearing/reciting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (hearing), pāṭha (recitation), and pāṭhana (teaching/causing to be read) of the text are recommended.