Shloka 21
Āraṇyaka Parva, Adhyāya 233 — Pandavas Mobilize; Arjuna’s Conciliation and the Onset of Combat
धनमायुर्यशो दीप्त॑ पुत्राउछत्रुजयं तथा । स पुष्टितुष्टी सम्प्राप्प स्कन्दसालोक्यमाप्नुयात्,जो ब्राह्मण एकाग्रचित्त हो स्कन्ददेवके इस जन्म-वृत्तान्तको पढ़ता है, ब्राह्मणोंको सुनाता है अथवा स्वयं ब्राह्मणके मुखसे सुनता है, वह धन, आयु, उज्ज्वल यश, पुत्र, शत्रुविजय तथा तुष्टि-पुष्टि पाकर अन्तमें स्कन्दके लोकमें जाता है
dhanam āyur yaśo dīptaṁ putrān śatrūjayaṁ tathā | sa puṣṭi-tuṣṭī samprāpya skanda-sālokyam āpnuyāt ||
Mārkaṇḍeya disse: “Aquele que, com a mente focada, recitar este relato de Skanda nesta mesma existência, ou fizer com que brāhmaṇas o ouçam, ou ele mesmo o escutar da boca de um brāhmaṇa, alcança riqueza, longa vida, fama radiante, filhos, vitória sobre inimigos e as duas bênçãos de nutrição e contentamento; e, por fim, chega ao mundo de Skanda.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a phalaśruti: devoted, attentive recitation or hearing of Skanda’s life-story—especially through brāhmaṇas—yields both worldly goods (prosperity, longevity, fame, offspring, victory) and a final spiritual reward (Skanda’s realm), emphasizing faith, disciplined attention, and reverence for sacred transmission.
Mārkaṇḍeya concludes a section about Skanda by stating the fruits of engaging with the narrative: one who reads, teaches, or listens to Skanda’s birth-account with single-pointed mind gains multiple blessings and ultimately attains sālokya with Skanda.