Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अन्यां योनिं समापन्नौ सार्गालीं वानरीं तथा । सख्यं समीयतुरुभौ सृगालो वानरो द्विजाः

Transliteration

anyāṃ yoniṃ samāpannau sārgālīṃ vānarīṃ tathā | sakhyaṃ samīyaturubhau sṛgālo vānaro dvijāḥ

Translation

Nachdem sie in andere Leiber eingegangen waren—als Schakal und ebenso als Affe—erneuerten beide ihre Freundschaft, o Zweimalgeborene: der Schakal und der Affe.

Word by Word

• अन्याम्: another
• अन्याम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (योनिम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• योनिम्: womb/birth
• योनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समापन्नौ: having attained/entered
• समापन्नौ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आपद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; (सृगालवानरयोः विशेषणम्)

• सार्गालीम्: (as) a she-jackal
• सार्गालीम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्मपूरक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार्गाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (योनिम् इत्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण)

• वानरीम्: (as) a she-monkey
• वानरीम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्मपूरक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (योनिम् इत्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thus/likewise)

• सख्यम्: friendship
• सख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समीयतुः: attained/entered (into)
• समीयतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + इ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• सृगालः: the jackal
• सृगालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृगाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वानरः: the monkey
• वानरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana/Addressed (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा-प्रयोगः)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhanuskoṭi/Setu (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijas/brāhmaṇas (explicit: ‘dvijāḥ’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The jackal and monkey clasp forepaws in a symbolic gesture of renewed friendship, seated near dunes and scrub; above them, a faint thread-like motif suggests the continuity of saṃskāra through births.

Characters & Entities

• Sṛgāla (jackal)
• Vānara (monkey)
• Dvija (brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma lessons can unfold through any life-form; bonds and tendencies persist through karma, shaping future encounters.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The story belongs to the Dhanuskoṭi-praśaṃsā adhyāya, which will glorify the Dhanuskoṭi tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse continues the narrative setup for the forthcoming tīrtha teaching.