Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

शुश्राव सत्कथां साध्वीं कैवल्यफल दायिनी । स उवाच द्विजस्तस्यै कथां वैराग्यबृंहिताम्

Transliteration

śuśrāva satkathāṃ sādhvīṃ kaivalyaphala dāyinī | sa uvāca dvijastasyai kathāṃ vairāgyabṛṃhitām

Translation

ఆమె కైవల్యఫలాన్ని ప్రసాదించే పవిత్రమైన సత్కథను శ్రవణం చేసింది. ఆపై ఆ ద్విజుడు ఆమెకు వైరాగ్యంతో బలపడిన ఉపదేశకథను చెప్పాడు.

Word by Word

• शुश्राव: heard
• शुश्राव: Kriyā (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्कथाम्: a holy/good story
• सत्कथाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्कथा (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + कथा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• साध्वीम्: virtuous, sacred
• साध्वीम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सत्कथाम्)

• कैवल्यफलदायिनी: bestowing the fruit of liberation
• कैवल्यफलदायिनी: Kartā (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कैवल्य-फल-दायिनी (प्रातिपदिक; कैवल्य + फल + दायिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of सत्कथा)

• सः: he
• सः: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said, spoke
• उवाच: Kriyā (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजः: the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजः: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सः इति सर्वनामस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• कथाम्: a story, discourse
• कथाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वैराग्यबृंहिताम्: strengthened by dispassion
• वैराग्यबृंहिताम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैराग्य-बृंहिता (प्रातिपदिक; वैराग्य + बृंहिता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of कथाम्)

Speaker

Narrator (reporting the teaching given by the brāhmaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: mahākṣetra (name not specified in excerpt)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa teacher delivers a renunciation-strengthened discourse; the woman sits attentively, hands folded, with a small circle of listeners in a sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (brāhmaṇa)
• Kaivalya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Listening to holy discourse infused with renunciation leads toward kaivalya—complete spiritual freedom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not name a tīrtha; it frames the efficacy of satkathā itself (though earlier context mentions a mahākṣetra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa of satkathā—devotional listening to liberating teachings.