Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

सप्तकल्पस्मरो विप्रा मार्कंडाख्यो महामुनिः । रोहिताश्वेन पृष्टः स हरिश्चंद्रात्मजेन च

Transliteration

saptakalpasmaro viprā mārkaṃḍākhyo mahāmuniḥ | rohitāśvena pṛṣṭaḥ sa hariścaṃdrātmajena ca

Translation

اے برہمنو! مارکنڈا نامی وہ مہا مُنی، جو سات کلپوں کے واقعات کو یاد رکھتا ہے، ہریش چندر کے پتر روہتاشو نے اس سے سوال کیا۔

Word by Word

• सप्तकल्पस्मरः: (the sage) who remembers seven kalpas
• सप्तकल्पस्मरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + smara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—सप्तकल्पान् स्मरति इति/सप्तकल्पस्मरः (बहुवचन-सम्बन्धे षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense by context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मार्कण्डाख्यः: named Mārkaṇḍa
• मार्कण्डाख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—मार्कण्ड इति आख्या यस्य (नामधारकः)

• महामुनिः: the great sage
• महामुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—महान् मुनिः

• रोहिताश्वेन: by Rohitāśva
• रोहिताश्वेन: Karana (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rohitāśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• पृष्टः: was asked
• पृष्टः: Kriya (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√prach (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हरिश्चन्द्रात्मजेन: by the son of Hariścandra
• हरिश्चन्द्रात्मजेन: Karana (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hariścandra (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—हरिश्चन्द्रस्य आत्मजः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely a Purāṇic narrator continuing the tīrtha-māhātmya account)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (assembly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya depicted as radiant, ageless sage with a subtle cosmic backdrop (stars/kalpa wheel motif). Rohitāśva, son of Hariścandra, approaches respectfully with attendants, offering a seat and water.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya (Mārkaṇḍa)
• Rohitāśva
• Hariścandra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approach realized sages for dharmic clarity; ancient wisdom is preserved through enlightened memory and transmission.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse frames a tīrtha-māhātmya discourse, but this specific śloka names the speakers rather than a particular site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces the questioner and the sage who will teach remedies for sin.