Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15
Devanagari script
यथा प्रदीपे ज्वलिते प्रणश्यति महत्तमः । तथा हरेः कथायां च याति पापमनेकधा
Transliteration
yathā pradīpe jvalite praṇaśyati mahattamaḥ | tathā hareḥ kathāyāṃ ca yāti pāpamanekadhā
Translation
جس طرح چراغ جلنے سے گھنا اندھیرا مٹ جاتا ہے، اسی طرح ہری کی کتھا میں گناہ کئی طرح سے دور ہو جاتے ہیں۔
Word by Word
यथाjust as
यथा:
Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानार्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (correlative adverb: 'as/just as')
प्रदीपेin a lamp
प्रदीपे:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootpradīpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन
ज्वलितेwhen (it is) burning/lit
ज्वलिते:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootjval (धातु) + jvalita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'प्रदीपे' इति विशेषण (when lit)
प्रणश्यतिperishes, is destroyed
प्रणश्यति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√naś (नश् धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
महत्तमःgreat darkness
महत्तमः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahattama (प्रातिपदिक; तमप्-प्रत्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन
तथाso, likewise
तथा:
Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; तदनुरूपार्थक (correlative adverb: 'so/likewise')
हरेःof Hari
हरेः:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Roothari (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
कथायाम्in the story/discourse
कथायाम्:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootkathā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)
यातिgoes away, is removed
याति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√yā (या धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
पापम्sin
पापम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (object)
अनेकधाin many ways
अनेकधा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootanekadhā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'in many ways')
Speaker
Īśvara (Śiva)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A lamp is lit in a dark shrine-hall; shadows flee as devotees listen to a storyteller reciting Hari-kathā; sin is allegorized as dark figures dissolving into light.
Characters & Entities
H
Hari (Viṣṇu)K
Kathā (sacred discourse)FAQs
Devotional listening and speaking of Hari’s kathā is a direct purifier that dispels sin as light dispels darkness.
No named tīrtha; the verse emphasizes the universal efficacy of Hari-kathā.
Engage in Hari-kathā (hearing/reciting sacred narratives), especially apt for vrata seasons like Cāturmāsya.