Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

कथायां कीर्त्यमानायां विघ्नं कुर्वंति ये शठाः । कोट्यब्दान्नरकान्भुक्त्वा भवंति ग्रामसूकराः

Transliteration

kathāyāṃ kīrtyamānāyāṃ vighnaṃ kurvaṃti ye śaṭhāḥ | koṭyabdānnarakānbhuktvā bhavaṃti grāmasūkarāḥ

Translation

ผู้ใดเป็นคนคดโกงก่ออุปสรรคเมื่อกำลังสาธยายกถาปุราณะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ผู้นั้นครั้นเสวยนรกสิ้นกาลนับโกฏิปีแล้ว ย่อมเกิดใหม่เป็นสุกรบ้านในหมู่บ้าน

Word by Word

• कथायाम्: in the discourse/story
• कथायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place/occasion)

• कीर्त्यमानायाम्: being recited/praised
• कीर्त्यमानायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीर्त्यमान (कृदन्त; √कीर्त्/कीर्तय् (धातु) + शानच्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; 'कथायाम्' इति विशेषणम्

• विघ्नम्: obstacle
• विघ्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• कुर्वन्ति: they do/make
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• शठाः: deceitful persons
• शठाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'ये' इत्यस्य विशेष्यः

• कोटि-अब्दान्: crores of years
• कोटि-अब्दान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (कोटीनाम् अब्दान्); कालपरिमाण (duration as object of 'भुक्त्वा')

• नरकान्: hells
• नरकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; गत्यर्थ/भोगार्थ कर्म

• भुक्त्वा: having experienced/enjoyed
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• भवन्ति: they become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• ग्राम-सूकराः: village pigs
• ग्राम-सूकराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + सूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ग्रामस्य सूकराः)

Speaker

Narrator of the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A village assembly where a Purāṇa-knower recites from a palm-leaf manuscript; deceitful interrupters create commotion; in the background, Yama’s messengers lead them toward a dark naraka, and a later vignette shows rebirth as village pigs near refuse heaps.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not obstruct sacred narration; honoring dharma-kathā preserves merit, while disruption brings severe karmic downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches general Purāṇic dharma about honoring kathā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied observance is respectful participation in Purāṇa-kathā—listening without causing disturbance.