The Glory of Hearing This Purana

Verse 1 (skanda.6.279.1)

सूत उवाच एतत्पुराणमखिलं पुरा स्कन्देनभाषितम् भृगवे ब्रह्मपुत्राय तस्माल्लेभे तथांगिराः

sūta uvāca etatpurāṇamakhilaṁ purā skandenabhāṣitam bhṛgave brahmaputrāya tasmāllebhe tathāṁgirāḥ

Suta said: This entire Purana was spoken, in ancient times, by Skanda to Bhrigu, the son of Brahma; from him, in turn, Angira received it.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.279.2)

ततश्च च्यवनः प्राप स ऋचीकस्ततो मुनिः एवं परंपराप्राप्तं सर्वेषु भुवनेष्वपि

tataśca cyavanaḥ prāpa sa ṛcīkastato muniḥ evaṁ paraṁparāprāptaṁ sarveṣu bhuvaneṣvapi

Then Chyavana obtained it, and from him the sage Richika; thus, received through this lineage of succession, it spread through all the worlds.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.279.3)

स्कांदं पुराणमेतच्च कुमारेण पुरोद्धृतम् यः शृणोति सतां मध्ये नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते

skāṁdaṁ purāṇametacca kumāreṇa puroddhṛtam yaḥ śṛṇoti satāṁ madhye naraḥ pāpātpramucyate

This Skanda Purana was drawn forth in ancient times by Kumara; whatever man hears it in the company of the virtuous is freed from sin.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.279.4)

इदं पुराणमायुष्यं वर्णानां च सुखावहम् निर्मितं षण्मुखेनेह नियतं सुमहात्मना

idaṁ purāṇamāyuṣyaṁ varṇānāṁ ca sukhāvaham nirmitaṁ ṣaṇmukheneha niyataṁ sumahātmanā

This Purana bestows long life and brings happiness to all the classes; it was composed here, without fail, by the great-souled Six-Faced One.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.279.5)

एवमेतत्पुरा ख्यातमाख्यानं भद्रमस्तु वः

evametatpurā khyātamākhyānaṁ bhadramastu vaḥ

Thus was this tale declared of old — may blessing be upon you.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.279.6)

हाटकेश्वरक्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यं शृणुते नरः न तस्य पुण्यसंख्यानं कर्तुं शक्येत केनचित्

hāṭakeśvarakṣetrasya māhātmyaṁ śṛṇute naraḥ na tasya puṇyasaṁkhyānaṁ kartuṁ śakyeta kenacit

For the man who hears the greatness of the field of Hatakeshvara, the tally of his merit cannot be reckoned by anyone.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.279.7)

य इदं धर्ममाहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणाय प्रयच्छति स्वर्गलोके वसेत्तावद्यावदक्षरसंख्यया

ya idaṁ dharmamāhātmyaṁ brāhmaṇāya prayacchati svargaloke vasettāvadyāvadakṣarasaṁkhyayā

Whoever gives this account of dharma's greatness to a brahmin dwells in the heavenly world for as many years as there are syllables in it.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.279.8)

यथा हि वर्षतो धारा यथा वा दिवि तारकाः गंगायां सिकता यद्वत्तद्वत्संख्या न विद्यते

yathā hi varṣato dhārā yathā vā divi tārakāḥ gaṁgāyāṁ sikatā yadvattadvatsaṁkhyā na vidyate

Just as the streams of falling rain, or the stars in the sky, or the grains of sand in the Ganga — even so, there is no reckoning of that merit.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.279.9)

यो नरः शृणुयाद्भक्त्या दिनानि च कियंति वै सर्वार्थसिद्धो भवति य इमां पठते कथाम्

yo naraḥ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā dināni ca kiyaṁti vai sarvārthasiddho bhavati ya imāṁ paṭhate kathām

Whatever man hears it with devotion, for however many days, becomes accomplished in all his aims; and whoever recites this tale...

Verse 10 (skanda.6.279.10)

पुत्रार्थी लभते पुत्रान्धनार्थी लभते धनम् लभते पतिकामा या पतिं कन्या मनोरमम्

putrārthī labhate putrāndhanārthī labhate dhanam labhate patikāmā yā patiṁ kanyā manoramam

...one desiring sons obtains sons, one desiring wealth obtains wealth; a maiden desiring a husband obtains a charming husband.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.279.11)

समागमं लभंते च वांधवाश्च प्रवासिभिः स्कांदं पुराणं श्रुत्वा तु पुमाना प्नोति वांछितम्

samāgamaṁ labhaṁte ca vāṁdhavāśca pravāsibhiḥ skāṁdaṁ purāṇaṁ śrutvā tu pumānā pnoti vāṁchitam

Kinsmen obtain reunion with those who have gone abroad; a man, having heard the Skanda Purana, obtains whatever he desires.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.279.12)

शृण्वतः पठतश्चैव सर्वकामप्रदं नृणाम् महीं विजयते राजा शत्रूंश्चाप्यधितिष्ठति

śṛṇvataḥ paṭhataścaiva sarvakāmapradaṁ nṛṇām mahīṁ vijayate rājā śatrūṁścāpyadhitiṣṭhati

For those who hear and recite it, it grants every desire of men; a king conquers the earth and gains mastery over his enemies.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.279.13)

पुण्यं श्रुत्वा पुराणं वै दीर्घमा युश्च विंदति वेदविच्च भवेद्विप्रः क्षत्रियो राज्यमाप्नुयात्

puṇyaṁ śrutvā purāṇaṁ vai dīrghamā yuśca viṁdati vedavicca bhavedvipraḥ kṣatriyo rājyamāpnuyāt

Having heard this sacred Purana, one obtains long life; a brahmin becomes a knower of the Veda, and a kshatriya obtains a kingdom.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.279.14)

धनं धान्यं तथा वैश्यः शूद्रः सुखमवाप्नुयात् यः श्लोकपादं शृणुयाद्विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति

dhanaṁ dhānyaṁ tathā vaiśyaḥ śūdraḥ sukhamavāpnuyāt yaḥ ślokapādaṁ śṛṇuyādviṣṇulokaṁ sa gacchati

A vaishya obtains wealth and grain; a shudra obtains happiness. Whoever hears even a quarter-verse of it goes to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.279.15)

श्रुत्वा पुराणमेतद्धि वाचकं यस्तु पूजयेत् तेन ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्चैव प्रपूजितः

śrutvā purāṇametaddhi vācakaṁ yastu pūjayet tena brahmā ca viṣṇuśca rudraścaiva prapūjitaḥ

Whoever, having heard this Purana, honors its reciter — by him Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra alike have been honored.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.279.16)

एकमप्यक्षरं यस्तु गुरुः शिष्ये निवेदयेत् पृथिव्या नास्ति तद्द्रव्यं यद्दत्त्वा ह्यनृणी भवेत्

ekamapyakṣaraṁ yastu guruḥ śiṣye nivedayet pṛthivyā nāsti taddravyaṁ yaddattvā hyanṛṇī bhavet

There is no wealth upon this earth by giving which one could ever become free of debt to a guru who imparts even a single syllable to a disciple.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.279.17)

अतः संपूजनीयस्तु व्यासः शास्त्रोपदेशकः गोभूहिरण्यवस्त्राद्यैर्भोजनैः सार्व कामिकैः

ataḥ saṁpūjanīyastu vyāsaḥ śāstropadeśakaḥ gobhūhiraṇyavastrādyairbhojanaiḥ sārva kāmikaiḥ

Therefore Vyasa, the teacher of the scripture, is to be duly honored — with cows, land, gold, garments and the like, with meals, and with the fulfillment of all his desires.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.279.18)

य एवं भक्तियुक्तस्तु श्रुत्वा शास्त्रमनुतमम् पूजयेदुपदेष्टारं स शैवं पदमाप्नुयात्

ya evaṁ bhaktiyuktastu śrutvā śāstramanutamam pūjayedupadeṣṭāraṁ sa śaivaṁ padamāpnuyāt

Whoever, filled with such devotion, having heard this most excellent scripture, honors its teacher — he attains the Shaiva state.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.279.19)

पुराणश्रवणादेव अनेकभवसंचितम् पापं प्रशममायाति सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत्

purāṇaśravaṇādeva anekabhavasaṁcitam pāpaṁ praśamamāyāti sarvatīrthaphalaṁ labhet

By the mere hearing of this Purana, sin accumulated across many births comes to rest, and one obtains the fruit of all the sacred tirthas.