Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कथयस्व महाभाग कावेरीसङ्गमे फलम् । धर्मः श्रुतोऽथ दृष्टो वा कथितो वा कृतोऽपि वा

Transliteration

kathayasva mahābhāga kāverīsaṅgame phalam | dharmaḥ śruto'tha dṛṣṭo vā kathito vā kṛto'pi vā

Translation

हे महाभाग! कावेरी-संगमाचे फळ सांगावे. धर्म केवळ ऐकला असेल, किंवा पाहिला असेल, किंवा सांगितला असेल, अथवा आचरला असेल—

Word by Word

• कथयस्व: tell; relate
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; समासः महा + भाग (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• कावेरीसङ्गमे: at the confluence of the Kāverī
• कावेरीसङ्गमे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कावेरी + सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कावेर्याः सङ्गमः)

• फलम्: the fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• धर्मः: dharma; merit
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्रुतः: heard
• श्रुतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (heard)

• अथ: and/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'then/and')

• दृष्टः: seen
• दृष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'or')

• कथितः: told; narrated
• कथितः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + इत (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त/क्तवत्-भाव), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• कृतः: done; performed
• कृतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'also/even')

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāverī-saṅgama

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other sages (frame); within episode: Mārkaṇḍeya is addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a confluence, pilgrims gather: some listen to dharma discourse, some watch rites, some recite aloud, some perform offerings—illustrating multiple modes of dharma engagement.

Characters & Entities

• Kāverī-saṅgama
• Dharma
• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A powerful tīrtha, especially a saṅgama, is portrayed as a multiplier of dharmic intention—learning, witnessing, teaching, and practice all gain potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāverī-saṅgama—the confluence associated with Kāverī—introduced as a prime locus of merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is commanded; the focus is on the ‘fruit’ of dharma in various forms (heard/seen/spoken/done) connected to the saṅgama.