Shloka 50

Means to Liberation: Supremacy of Hari, Proper Salutations, and Purāṇic Authority

तृतीयांशश्रवणादर्थतश्च पुण्यं चाहुः पठतो वै दशांशम् / ततो वरं मत्स्यपुराणमाहुस्ततो वरं कूर्मपूराणमाहुः

tṛtīyāṃśaśravaṇādarthataśca puṇyaṃ cāhuḥ paṭhato vai daśāṃśam / tato varaṃ matsyapurāṇamāhustato varaṃ kūrmapūrāṇamāhuḥ

กล่าวกันว่า แม้ได้สดับเพียงหนึ่งในสามส่วนและเข้าใจความหมาย ก็ย่อมบังเกิดบุญกุศล; ส่วนผู้สวดอ่านนั้นได้เพียงหนึ่งในสิบของบุญนั้น. ถึงกระนั้นเขากล่าวว่ามัตสยะปุราณะประเสริฐกว่า และกูรมะปุราณะประเสริฐยิ่งกว่านั้นอีก.

तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्from hearing the third part
तृतीय-अंश-श्रवणात्:
Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootतृतीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन
अर्थतःas to the meaning; essentially
अर्थतः:
Manner (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअर्थतः (अव्यय)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb) ‘in terms of meaning/essentially’
and
:
Connector (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)
पुण्यम्merit
पुण्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
and
:
Connector (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)
आहुःthey say
आहुः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअह्/आह् (धातु)
Formलिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
पठतःof one who reads
पठतः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपठ् (धातु) → पठत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle) used substantively; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphasis)
दश-अंशम्a tenth portion
दश-अंशम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु ‘a tenth part’
ततःthan that; thereafter
ततः:
Comparison point (तुलना)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘thereafter/than that’
वरम्better
वरम्:
Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; comparative sense ‘better’
मत्स्य-पुराणम्the Matsya Purāṇa
मत्स्य-पुराणम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘Matsya Purāṇa’
आहुःthey say
आहुः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअह्/आह् (धातु)
Formलिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
ततःthan that
ततः:
Comparison point (तुलना)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)
वरम्better
वरम्:
Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
कूर्म-पुराणम्the Kūrma Purāṇa
कूर्म-पुराणम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘Kūrma Purāṇa’
आहुःthey say
आहुः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअह्/आह् (धातु)
Formलिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Concept: Śravaṇa with artha-bodha and pāṭha generate puṇya; scriptures are graded by guṇa-oriented efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva as a purifier of antaḥkaraṇa; śravaṇa–manana as preparatory means (sādhana) supporting bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Prioritize listening with comprehension; maintain a disciplined recitation practice; choose texts that increase sattva and devotion.

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.51-54 (guṇa-based Purāṇa classification and mumuṣu guidance)

M
Matsya Purana
K
Kurma Purana

FAQs

This verse states that hearing even a portion—especially with understanding—produces spiritual merit (puṇya), emphasizing attentive listening as a valid means of gaining benefit.

It distinguishes forms of engagement: hearing a significant portion with meaning is praised for merit, while recitation is also meritorious but described here as yielding a specified fractional result (daśāṁśa, “one-tenth”).

Prioritize meaningful listening and comprehension during scripture readings or Purāṇa discourses, and complement it with regular recitation—focusing on understanding rather than mere performance.