Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

इदं रहस्यं परमं पवित्रं यशस्करं पुण्यमहर्द्धिवर्धनम् । आख्यानमाख्यातमघौघनाशनं गौरीशपादांबुजभक्तिवर्धनम्

Transliteration

idaṃ rahasyaṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ yaśaskaraṃ puṇyamaharddhivardhanam | ākhyānamākhyātamaghaughanāśanaṃ gaurīśapādāṃbujabhaktivardhanam

Translation

此乃至上秘义，至为清净，能成就名声，增长福德与吉祥；今已宣说此传记：它能摧灭罪业洪流，并增长对高丽沙（湿婆）莲足的虔敬。

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (रहस्यम् इत्यस्य)

• rahasyam: secret/mystery
• rahasyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rahasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• pavitram: pure/holy
• pavitram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pavitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• yaśas-karam: bringing fame
• yaśas-karam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśas (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (yaśaḥ karoti iti) विशेषण

• puṇya-mahā-ṛddhi-vardhanam: increasing great meritorious prosperity
• puṇya-mahā-ṛddhi-vardhanam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + vardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (puṇyāyāḥ mahāyā ṛddheḥ vardhanam) विशेषण

• ākhyānam: narrative/account
• ākhyānam: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रहस्यम् इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण

• ākhyātam: told/declared
• ākhyātam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyā (धातु) आ-उपसर्ग + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• agha-ogha-nāśanam: destroying masses of sin
• agha-ogha-nāśanam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (aghānām oghasya nāśanam) विशेषण

• gaurīśa-pāda-ambuja-bhakti-vardhanam: increasing devotion to the lotus-feet of Gaurīśa (Śiva)
• gaurīśa-pāda-ambuja-bhakti-vardhanam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaurīśa (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + ambuja (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + vardhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (gaurīśasya pādāmbujeṣu bhakteḥ vardhanam) विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred manuscript or recitation scene: a narrator recites the ‘rahasya’ tale to attentive listeners; above, a subtle vision of Śiva (Gaurīśa) with lotus-feet radiating, symbolizing bhakti’s increase and sin’s dissolution.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Gaurīśa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred listening/recitation of Purāṇic Śiva-kathā purifies, destroys sin, and deepens devotion to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is a general phalaśruti and does not glorify a particular tīrtha by name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice: hearing, reciting, and transmitting this sacred narrative as a purifying devotional act.