Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

तमेवार्थं महाभागाः कथयिष्ये यथार्थतः । तच्छृणुध्वं पुरावृत्तं सर्वं सर्वे समाहिताः

Transliteration

tamevārthaṃ mahābhāgāḥ kathayiṣye yathārthataḥ | tacchṛṇudhvaṃ purāvṛttaṃ sarvaṃ sarve samāhitāḥ

Translation

ในเรื่องเดียวกันนี้ โอ้ผู้มีบุญทั้งหลาย เราจักกล่าวตามความจริงโดยแท้ เพราะฉะนั้นท่านทั้งปวงจงตั้งใจฟังเรื่องราวโบราณทั้งหมดโดยพร้อมเพรียง

Word by Word

• तम्: that
• तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of ‘अर्थम्’)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• अर्थम्: the matter
• अर्थम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• महाभागाः: O fortunate ones
• महाभागाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (महान् भागः यस्य सः); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सम्बोधनार्थे अपि प्रयोगः (vocative sense)

• कथयिष्ये: I shall narrate
• कथयिष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ्/कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तम-पुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्

• यथार्थतः: truthfully / as it really is
• यथार्थतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; ‘-तः’ तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (adverb: in accordance with truth)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of ‘पुरावृत्तम्’)

• शृणुध्वम्: listen (you all)
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यम-पुरुषः (2nd person), बहुवचनम्

• पुरावृत्तम्: the ancient event
• पुरावृत्तम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (पुरा वृत्तम् = formerly happened); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of ‘पुरावृत्तम्’)

• सर्वे: all (of you)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• समाहिताः: attentive / composed
• समाहिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-कृदन्तः (past participle used adjectivally); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual, continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembled devotees/listeners (mahābhāgāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker (narrator/ṛṣi) raises a hand in teaching gesture; an assembly of listeners sits in orderly rows, heads bowed, indicating collective attentiveness to an ancient sacred account.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True understanding in Purāṇic dharma begins with attentive śravaṇa—listening with a steady mind to an authentic narration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as a narrative preface within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the specific tīrtha is not named in this line alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; it establishes the discipline of concentrated listening before the vrata/teaching is given.