Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

तावेकदा स्वतनयौ तावुभौ ब्राह्मणोत्तमौ । आहूयावोचतां प्रीत्या षोड शाब्दौ शुभाकृती

Transliteration

tāvekadā svatanayau tāvubhau brāhmaṇottamau | āhūyāvocatāṃ prītyā ṣoḍa śābdau śubhākṛtī

Translation

One day those two excellent Brahmins—of auspicious form—summoned their own two sons and, with affection, spoke these sixteen words to them.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• स्वतनयौ: (his) own two sons
• स्वतनयौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य तनयौ)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (पुनरुक्ति-बल)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण—‘तौ’

• ब्राह्मणोत्तमौ: the two best Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणोत्तमौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (उत्तमौ ब्राह्मणौ)

• आहूय: having called (them)
• आहूय: Kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह्वे (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), ‘having summoned/called’

• अवोचताम्: they spoke
• अवोचताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (अनद्यतन-भूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• षोड: sixteen
• षोड: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडन्/षोडशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (पाठे ‘षोड’ इति ‘षोडश’ का संक्षेप/प्रयोग), विशेषण—‘शाब्दौ’

• शाब्दौ: the two learned in words/grammar (two ‘śābda’ experts)
• शाब्दौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; (पाठदोष/भेद सम्भव—‘शाब्दौ’ इति)

• शुभाकृती: the two of auspicious form
• शुभाकृती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (शुभे आकृती यस्य)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in Brahmottara-khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Parents calling their two sons to sit nearby; a gesture of affection (hand on head/shoulder) and a poised moment before delivering a compact instruction; auspicious bodily marks and clean attire.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is transmitted through affectionate instruction—elders guide the young at life’s key thresholds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned in this verse; it functions as a narrative setup for counsel and action.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it introduces advice connected to vivāha (marriage) and rightful means.