Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

स्वाहाकारस्वधाकारौ वषट्कारश्च पुत्रक । हन्तकारस्तथै वान्यस्तस्याः स्तनचतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

svāhākārasvadhākārau vaṣaṭkāraśca putraka | hantakārastathai vānyastasyāḥ stanacatuṣṭayam

Translation

Ô cher enfant, ses quatre mamelles sont : l’acclamation « svāhā », l’acclamation « svadhā », l’acclamation « vaṣaṭ », et de même l’acclamation « hantā » — telles sont ses quatre tétines.

Word by Word

• स्वाहाकारस्वधाकारौ: (the two) ‘svāhā-kāra’ and ‘svadhā-kāra’
• स्वाहाकारस्वधाकारौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाहाकार (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वधाकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• वषट्कारः: the ‘vaṣaṭ-kāra’ (exclamation vaṣaṭ)
• वषट्कारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वषट्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• पुत्रक: O dear son
• पुत्रक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हन्तकारः: the ‘hanta-kāra’ (exclamation hanta)
• हन्तकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन्तकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्तनचतुष्टयम्: the set of four breasts
• स्तनचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: पुत्रक (dear child) addressed by the speaker

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous cosmic cow (Dharma/Yajña-Dhenū) with four prominent teats labeled svāhā, svadhā, vaṣaṭ, hantā; subtle streams of mantra-sound flowing outward as nourishment to different classes of beings.

Characters & Entities

• Svāhā
• Svadhā
• Vaṣaṭ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The cow is a ritual-cosmic symbol: offerings to gods and ancestors are integrated into a single dharmic vision of nourishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a site-specific verse; it is a dharma-ritual teaching within Dharmāraṇya’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recognition of svāhā/svadhā/vaṣaṭ as key ritual utterances associated with offering rites (devayajña and pitṛyajña).