Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अतस्तद्भक्तिलेशस्य माहात्म्यं वर्ण्यते मया । अपि कल्पायुषा नालं वक्तुं विस्तरतः क्वचित्

Transliteration

atastadbhaktileśasya māhātmyaṃ varṇyate mayā | api kalpāyuṣā nālaṃ vaktuṃ vistarataḥ kvacit

Translation

“因此，我将述说哪怕仅一丝那种虔敬的伟大；纵使寿命长达一劫，也终难将其详尽道尽。”

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ-अव्यय (therefore/for this reason)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धार्थे (used as demonstrative in compound); अव्यक्त-निर्देश

• भक्ति: devotion
• भक्ति: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• लेशस्य: of a small portion/trace
• लेशस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तद्भक्तिलेशस्य: of even that small trace of devotion
• तद्भक्तिलेशस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + भक्ति + लेश (प्रातिपदिक); तद्भक्तिलेश (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्य भक्तेः लेशः)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness; glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• वर्ण्यते: is described
• वर्ण्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Emphasis/Connector (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक निपात (also/even)

• कल्पायुषा: with a lifespan of a kalpa
• कल्पायुषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक); कल्पायुस् (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कल्पस्य आयुः)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अलम्: enough; sufficient
• अलम्: Predicate (पर्याप्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (sufficient/enough)

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• विस्तरतः: in detail
• विस्तरतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'in detail')

• क्वचित्: ever; anywhere
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (at any time/anywhere)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta gestures toward the boundlessness of bhakti’s greatness, as if indicating an immeasurable horizon; the sages respond with wonder and reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Bhakti
• Kalpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti is portrayed as immeasurable in merit—so potent that even a tiny portion of it surpasses ordinary reckoning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the emphasis is theological—on devotion’s boundless power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the passage prepares for praise of devotional practices (like japa and kathā).