Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

पुराणानां नैव पाठः श्रवणं कारयेत्सदा । स्मृत्युक्तं सुगुरोर्ग्राह्यं न पाठः श्रवणादिकम्

Transliteration

purāṇānāṃ naiva pāṭhaḥ śravaṇaṃ kārayetsadā | smṛtyuktaṃ sugurorgrāhyaṃ na pāṭhaḥ śravaṇādikam

Translation

不应恒常安排诵读或听闻诸《往世书》。应当从具德上师处领受《忆念书》（Smṛti）所说之义，而非仅止于诵读、听闻等事。

Word by Word

• पुराणानाम्: of the Purāṇas
• पुराणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• पाठः: recitation
• पाठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• श्रवणम्: hearing
• श्रवणम्: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; पाठः इत्यस्य सहपद (co-subject)

• कारयेत्: should cause (to be done)
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative: “should cause to be done”)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक (adverb “always”)

• स्मृत्युक्तम्: prescribed in Smṛti
• स्मृत्युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, वच्/वद्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (“said in Smṛti”), विशेषण (of “grāhyam”)

• सुगुरोः: of a good teacher
• सुगुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (“good guru”)

• ग्राह्यम्: to be accepted
• ग्राह्यम्: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; कृतान्त-कर्तव्यता (gerundive: “to be accepted”)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• पाठः: recitation
• पाठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• श्रवणादिकम्: hearing and the like
• श्रवणादिकम्: Karta (Appositive/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (“hearing etc.” = hearing and the like)

Speaker

Narrative voice continuing Īśvara’s discourse (speaker implicit from surrounding verses)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda (and audience implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru instructs a pilgrim assembly: one hand indicating a smṛti text, the other in teaching gesture; listeners sit with folded hands; a Purāṇa manuscript rests aside, suggesting ‘not mere recitation’ but guided instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Purāṇas
• Smṛti
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes receiving dharma guidance through an authentic teacher and established smṛti norms rather than relying solely on public recitation/hearing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance about not constantly organizing Purāṇa recitation/hearing, and instead learning smṛti-based instruction from a qualified guru.