Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

श्रुतं च पूर्वचरितं बालयोः सम्यगेतयोः । भविष्यदपि पृच्छामि मत्पुत्राचरणं मुने

Transliteration

śrutaṃ ca pūrvacaritaṃ bālayoḥ samyagetayoḥ | bhaviṣyadapi pṛcchāmi matputrācaraṇaṃ mune

Translation

J’ai entendu comme il se doit les actions passées de ces deux garçons. À présent, je demande aussi ce qui doit advenir : dis-moi, ô muni, la conduite et la voie futures de mon fils.

Word by Word

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (Predicate state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as predicate ‘heard’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• पूर्वचरितम्: former deeds/story
• पूर्वचरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva-carita (प्रातिपदिक: pūrva + carita)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पूर्वं चरितम्)

• बालयोः: of the two boys
• बालयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• सम्यक्: properly; fully
• सम्यक्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (properly/completely)

• एतयोः: of these two
• एतयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• भविष्यत्: the future (what is to come)
• भविष्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √bhū (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present participle used as noun) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘that which will be’ (future events)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• पृच्छामि: I ask
• पृच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• मत्पुत्राचरणम्: the conduct of my son
• मत्पुत्राचरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mat-putra-ācaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक: mad + putra + ācaraṇa)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मम पुत्रस्य आचरणम्)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

The King (Rājā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, having heard the boys’ past deeds, leans forward to ask the sage about the future conduct of his son—anticipation and concern blended with trust.

Characters & Entities

• two boys (bālayau)
• the king’s son
• sage (muni)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic leadership seeks guidance about future conduct, not merely past stories—showing responsibility and humility before wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on inquiry into destiny and conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an appeal for counsel and foresight.