Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

भिक्षार्थं चेरतुस्तत्र मात्रा सह दिनेदिने । ताभ्यां कदाचिद्बालाभ्यां सा विप्रवनिता सह

Transliteration

bhikṣārthaṃ ceratustatra mātrā saha dinedine | tābhyāṃ kadācidbālābhyāṃ sā vipravanitā saha

Translation

“Day after day, there they went about for alms together with their mother. Once, that brāhmaṇa lady went along with those two boys…”

Word by Word

• भिक्षार्थम्: for alms
• भिक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masc.), द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Acc. 2nd), एकवचनम् (singular); चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (भिक्षायै अर्थः) = प्रयोजनार्थक-अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः

• चेरतुः: they two went about
• चेरतुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम् (dual); परस्मैपदम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• मात्रा: with (their) mother
• मात्रा: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (fem.), तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instr. 3rd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (postposition), सहार्थक (with)

• दिने: day
• दिने: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neut.), सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Loc. 7th), एकवचनम् (singular)

• दिने: by day (each day)
• दिने: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neut.), सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Loc. 7th), एकवचनम् (singular); पुनरुक्ति (iterative)

• ताभ्याम्: with those two
• ताभ्याम्: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (masc./neut.), तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instr. 3rd), द्विवचनम् (dual)

• कदाचित्: once
• कदाचित्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb of time), कदाचित्कालवाचक (once/sometime)

• बालाभ्याम्: with the two boys
• बालाभ्याम्: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masc.), तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instr. 3rd), द्विवचनम् (dual)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (fem.), प्रथमा विभक्तिः (Nom. 1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• विप्र-वनिता: the brahmin's wife
• विप्र-वनिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वनिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (fem.), प्रथमा विभक्तिः (Nom. 1st), एकवचनम् (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विप्रस्य वनिता)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (postposition), सहार्थक (with)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator), exact identity not in snippet

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two young boys with begging bowls walk with their mother through a settlement, approaching homes for alms; the scene conveys modesty, routine, and quiet endurance; a narrative foreshadowing ‘once upon a time’ event.

Characters & Entities

• Vipravanitā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple living and disciplined conduct, guided by elders, supports dharma and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; bhikṣā (alms-going) is described as a lived discipline.