Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स वेदाध्ययनं चक्रे यौवने समुपस्थिते । वयस्यैः संमतैः सार्धं सदा हास्य परायणैः

Transliteration

sa vedādhyayanaṃ cakre yauvane samupasthite | vayasyaiḥ saṃmataiḥ sārdhaṃ sadā hāsya parāyaṇaiḥ

Translation

When youth came upon him, he undertook the study of the Vedas, together with agreeable companions of his own age, ever devoted to laughter and lightness.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• वेदाध्ययनम्: study of the Veda
• वेदाध्ययनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—वेदस्य अध्ययनम्

• चक्रे: did, undertook
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यौवने: in youth
• यौवने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• समुपस्थिते: when (youth) had arrived
• समुपस्थिते: Adhikarana (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• वयस्यैः: with companions of the same age
• वयस्यैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• संमतैः: agreeable, approved
• संमतैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + मन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → संमत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘वयस्यैः’ विशेषणम् (approved/agreeable)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahartha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक अव्यय (with/together with)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• हास्य: of laughter; joking
• हास्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; ‘परायणैः’ सह सम्बन्धः—हास्यस्य परायणैः

• परायणैः: devoted (to), given over (to)
• परायणैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘वयस्यैः’ विशेषणम् (devoted/engaged in)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija-sattamas (sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Young Parāvasu studies Veda with peers; manuscripts and recitation posture indicate learning, while smiling faces and playful gestures show their laughter-loving temperament—an ambivalent blend of study and levity.

Characters & Entities

• Parāvasu
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It sets a dharmic contrast: sacred learning should be accompanied by discipline, not merely youthful frivolity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it prepares the narrative within the māhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it references vedādhyayana (Vedic study) as a formative dharmic practice.