Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

पुण्यं श्रुत्वा पुराणं वै दीर्घमा युश्च विंदति । वेदविच्च भवेद्विप्रः क्षत्रियो राज्यमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

puṇyaṃ śrutvā purāṇaṃ vai dīrghamā yuśca viṃdati | vedavicca bhavedvipraḥ kṣatriyo rājyamāpnuyāt

Translation

ഈ പുണ്യപുരാണം ശ്രവിച്ചാൽ ദീർഘായുസ്സ് ലഭിക്കുന്നു; ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ വേദവിദ്വാനാകുന്നു, ക്ഷത്രിയൻ രാജ്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive) — 'having heard'

• पुराणम्: the Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/assurance)

• दीर्घम्: long
• दीर्घम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); आयुः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विन्दति: obtains
• विन्दति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वेदवित्: knower of the Veda
• वेदवित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वेदं वेत्ति इति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• विप्रः: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षत्रियः: a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A montage: a devotee receiving blessings for long life; a brāhmaṇa studying Vedas after hearing the Purāṇa; a kṣatriya enthroned, ruling justly—each linked by the recitation scene.

Characters & Entities

• Purāṇa
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic listening strengthens one’s dharma according to station in life—wisdom for the Brāhmaṇa and rightful sovereignty for the Kṣatriya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya section of Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa of the Purāṇa/māhātmya as the meritorious act.