Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

स्त्रीपुंसोश्च द्विधा त्वं च पशुपक्ष्यादिमानवैः । चतुर्विधं कुलं त्वं हि चतुराशीतिलक्षणः

Transliteration

strīpuṃsośca dvidhā tvaṃ ca paśupakṣyādimānavaiḥ | caturvidhaṃ kulaṃ tvaṃ hi caturāśītilakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Du bestehst in der zweifachen Gestalt von Frau und Mann. Durch Tiere, Vögel und Menschen bildest Du die vierfache Gemeinschaft des Lebens. Wahrlich, Du bist die Verkörperung der vierundachtzig Lakh (8,4 Millionen) Arten lebender Wesen.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीपुंसोः: of woman and man
• स्त्रीपुंसोः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (स्त्री च पुंस् च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• द्विधा: in twofold manner
• द्विधा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in two ways)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• पशु: beast
• पशु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• पक्षि: bird
• पक्षि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• आदि: etc.
• आदि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: समाहार/उपलक्षणार्थक-अव्यय (etc., beginning with)

• मानवैः: by humans
• मानवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• चतुर्विधम्: fourfold
• चतुर्विधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-भावः (fourfold)

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• चतुराशीतिलक्षणः: having eighty-four characteristics
• चतुराशीतिलक्षणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुराशीति + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चतुराशीत्या लक्षणम् यस्य)

Speaker

The Devas (Gods)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages / internal addressee: King (nṛpa) in the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mandala-like composition: central Hari radiating into paired male/female figures, then concentric rings of animals, birds, and humans—suggesting 84-lakh species as innumerable forms, all connected by a single luminous thread.

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Animals
• Birds
• Humans

FAQs

What does the 'fourfold family' (caturvidhaṃ kulaṃ) refer to in this verse?

It refers to the four classifications of birth in Hindu cosmology: Jarāyuja (womb-born), Aṇḍaja (egg-born), Svedaja (moisture/sweat-born), and Udbhijja (sprout/vegetation-born).

How does this Shloka connect the Goddess to the concept of biodiversity?

The verse explicitly identifies the Goddess as the essence of the 'caturāśītilakṣaṇaḥ' or the 8.4 million species of life, indicating that all biological diversity is a manifestation of Her divine energy.

What is the philosophical significance of 'strīpuṃsośca dvidhā' in this context?

It highlights the non-dual nature of the Divine Mother, asserting that She transcends and yet encompasses the duality of gender (male and female) necessary for creation.