Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अस्यायुः कति वर्षाणि भाग्यं वद च कीदृ शम् । विद्या कीर्तिश्च शक्तिश्च श्रद्धा भक्तिश्च कीदृशी

Transliteration

asyāyuḥ kati varṣāṇi bhāgyaṃ vada ca kīdṛ śam | vidyā kīrtiśca śaktiśca śraddhā bhaktiśca kīdṛśī

Translation

How many years will his life endure? Tell me also what his fortune shall be—what of his learning, his fame, his strength, and what his faith and devotion shall be.

Word by Word

• अस्य: of this (person)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter) सर्वनाम

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कति: how many
• कति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kati (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक (Interrogative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भाग्यम्: fortune
• भाग्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāgya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• कीदृशम्: of what kind
• कीदृशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक (Interrogative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विद्या: knowledge
• विद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कीर्तिः: fame
• कीर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• श्रद्धा: faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• कीदृशी: of what kind (fem.)
• कीदृशी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक (Interrogative), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

The King (Rājā)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Parāśara (as addressee); broader audience: assembled sages/śrotṛs

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A concerned king questions a seated sage in an āśrama or court pavilion, attendants silent; the king gestures toward a young prince in the background, asking about lifespan, fortune, learning, fame, strength, faith, and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• āyuḥ
• bhāgya
• vidyā
• kīrti
• śakti
• śraddhā
• bhakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic parent values inner qualities—faith and devotion—alongside worldly measures like lifespan, fame, and strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; the verse enumerates virtues and outcomes to be discerned through wise counsel.