Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

श्रीसूत उवाच । साधुपृष्टं हि युष्माभिरतिगुह्यं मुनीश्वराः । शृणुध्वं मनसा सार्द्धं ब्रवीम्यत्यद्भुतां कथाम्

Transliteration

śrīsūta uvāca | sādhupṛṣṭaṃ hi yuṣmābhiratiguhyaṃ munīśvarāḥ | śṛṇudhvaṃ manasā sārddhaṃ bravīmyatyadbhutāṃ kathām

Translation

ศรีสูตกล่าวว่า: “ดูก่อนมุนีผู้ประเสริฐ ท่านทั้งหลายถามได้ดีนัก—เรื่องนี้ลี้ลับยิ่ง จงฟังด้วยจิตตั้งมั่นเถิด เราจักเล่าเรื่องอัศจรรย์ยิ่ง”

Word by Word

• श्रीसूतः: Śrī Sūta
• श्रीसूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-सूत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; 'श्रीमान् सूतः' इति कर्मधारयः

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधु: well/commendably
• साधु: Visheshana (Manner/प्रशंसा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसावाचक (approving particle/adverb)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (What was asked/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; 'asked'—वाक्ये भावे/कर्मणि

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (indeed/for)

• युष्माभिः: by you (all)
• युष्माभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• अतिगुह्यम्: very secret
• अतिगुह्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गपूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; 'अत्यन्तं गुह्यम्' इति उपपद-तत्पुरुषवत्; पृष्टम् इति विशेषणम्

• मुनीश्वराः: O best of sages
• मुनीश्वराः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; 'मुनीनां ईश्वराः' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; संबोधनार्थे प्रयुक्तम् (O lords of sages)

• शृणुध्वम्: listen
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (Imperative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मनसा: with (your) mind/attention
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; साधन/करणभावे

• सार्द्धम्: together, fully
• सार्द्धम्: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्द्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (together/with)

• ब्रवीमि: I tell
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अत्यद्भुताम्: most wonderful
• अत्यद्भुताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; 'अत्यन्तम् अद्भुता' इति; कथाम् इति विशेषणम्

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

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Śrī Sūta)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Munīśvaras (assembled sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta, seated as a revered narrator, blesses the sages’ question and announces a secret, wondrous story; the assembly leans in with attentive posture, indicating ‘manasā sārdham’ (mindfully).

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Sages (Munis)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge bears fruit when approached with reverence, right questioning, and concentrated listening.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the forthcoming māhātmya connected to Vētālavarada Tīrtha in the Setu region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A listening-dharma is implied: hear the kathā attentively (manasā) as a spiritual discipline.