Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । चतुर्थं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि देवस्य चरितं महत् । श्रुतमात्रेण येनैव सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | caturthaṃ sampravakṣyāmi devasya caritaṃ mahat | śrutamātreṇa yenaiva sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Translation

ศรีมารกัณฑยะกล่าวว่า: บัดนี้เราจักประกาศจริตอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ยิ่งใหญ่ตอนที่สี่ของพระเทวะ; เพียงได้สดับก็หลุดพ้นจากบาปทั้งปวง

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the venerable Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (श्री + मार्कण्डेय)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• चतुर्थम्: the fourth
• चतुर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall narrate
• सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः—सम् + प्र

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• चरितम्: deed(s), story
• चरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (चरितम्)

• श्रुतमात्रेण: by mere hearing
• श्रुतमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुतमात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्रुत + मात्र)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• सर्वपापैः: from all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Apadana (Ablative sense/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वपाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्व + पाप)

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed
• प्रमुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive); उपसर्गः—प्र

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā-mahātmya setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (राजेन्द्र)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sage Mārkaṇḍeya begins the fourth ‘great episode’ of the Deva, seated in a forest-āśrama or on a riverbank, addressing a kingly listener; the atmosphere is solemn and auspicious, suggesting that hearing itself purifies.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Deva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śravaṇa (devout listening) to sacred Purāṇic narratives is itself a purifier and supports repentance, devotion, and dharmic renewal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces a new episode within the Revā Khaṇḍa; the specific site is clarified in the ensuing verses (contextually tied to the Revā/Narmadā sacred region).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa—hearing the sacred account—is presented as a direct means of pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin).