Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा धीमान्कथां पुण्यां पुनस्तद्गतमानसः । शुभबुद्धिमवाप्नोति पापैरपि विमुच्यते

Transliteration

śrutvā dhīmānkathāṃ puṇyāṃ punastadgatamānasaḥ | śubhabuddhimavāpnoti pāpairapi vimucyate

Translation

ଏହି ପୁଣ୍ୟକଥା ଶୁଣି ଜ୍ଞାନୀଙ୍କ ମନ ପୁନଃ ତାହାରେ ଲୀନ ହୁଏ; ସେ ଶୁଭବୁଦ୍ଧି ପାଏ ଏବଂ ପାପରୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ମୁକ୍ତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having heard)

• धीमान्: the wise man
• धीमान्: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; गुणवाचक-नाम (wise person)

• कथाम्: story, account
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• पुण्याम्: holy, meritorious
• पुण्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (कथाम्)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तद्गतमानसः: whose mind is fixed on that
• तद्गतमानसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + गत (कृदन्त) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थः—‘तस्मिन् गतं मानसं यस्य’ (mind fixed on that)

• शुभबुद्धिम्: good understanding
• शुभबुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘शुभा बुद्धिः’

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पापैः: by sins / from sins (as cause)
• पापैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) समुच्चय/अपवाद (even/also)

• विमुच्यते: is released, is freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/मध्यस्थ-प्रयोगार्थः (is freed)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small satsanga on a Kāśī ghāṭa or temple courtyard: a learned reciter reading a sacred account; listeners sit with folded hands; a halo-like calm around the ‘wise listener’ whose mind is absorbed, symbolizing śubha-buddhi and sin falling away.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śravaṇa (devout hearing) of sacred Purāṇic narratives purifies the mind and dissolves sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching sits within Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s devotional framework; this verse focuses on kathā-śravaṇa rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Hearing and mentally dwelling on the sacred story (kathā) as a purificatory practice.