Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । सोऽस्मत्कथां महापुण्यां कदाचिच्छृणुयाद्यदि । निस्तीर्य दुर्गतिं सर्वामिमं लोकं प्रयास्यति

Transliteration

devyuvāca | so'smatkathāṃ mahāpuṇyāṃ kadācicchṛṇuyādyadi | nistīrya durgatiṃ sarvāmimaṃ lokaṃ prayāsyati

Translation

女神说道：“若有人于任何时候得闻我等这极具功德的圣传，便能越度一切厄难与恶趣，终将到达此吉祥之界。”

Word by Word

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अस्मत्कथाम्: our story/discourse
• अस्मत्कथाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मत्-कथा (प्रातिपदिक; अस्मद् + कथा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महापुण्याम्: greatly meritorious
• महापुण्याम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापुण्य (प्रातिपदिक; महा + पुण्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of अस्मत्कथाम्)

• कदाचित्: at some time, ever
• कदाचित्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (at some time/ever)

• शृणुयात्: should hear
• शृणुयात्: Kriyā (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha-dyotaka (Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तवाचक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• निस्तीर्य: having crossed over
• निस्तीर्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive), उपसर्ग: निस्; धातु: तॄ (to cross)

• दुर्गतिम्: misfortune, bad state
• दुर्गतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वाम्: all, entire
• सर्वाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of दुर्गतिम्)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (of लोकम्)

• लोकम्: world
• लोकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रयास्यति: will go/attain
• प्रयास्यति: Kriyā (Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: प्र (will go forth/attain)

Speaker

Devī (the Goddess)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī speaks a boon-like assurance to an audience; her presence is luminous, protective, and authoritative; listeners appear relieved as dark clouds of ‘durgati’ disperse.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Goddess)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even hearing the sacred narrative is proclaimed as a powerful act that removes misfortune and leads to an auspicious spiritual destination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this phalaśruti; it emphasizes the merit of śravaṇa itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (hearing) of the Devī’s mahāpuṇya-kathā, presented as a meritorious devotional act.