Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अथ श्रुत्वैव सा माता यथा तज्जल्पितं तया । सुतया ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठास्ततो वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

atha śrutvaiva sā mātā yathā tajjalpitaṃ tayā | sutayā brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāstato vacanamabravīt

Translation

それを娘の語ったとおりに聞き終えると、母は次の言葉を述べた。ああ、婆羅門の最勝者よ。

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (having heard)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक निपात (indeed/just)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (as/how)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; ‘जल्पितम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• जल्पितम्: what was spoken
• जल्पितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल्प् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; ‘उक्तम्/वचनम्’ अर्थे (what was spoken)

• तया: by her
• तया: Kartr/Agent (कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• सुतया: by the daughter
• सुतया: Karana/Agent (कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः: O best of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; बहुवचनम्; सम्बोधनार्थे अपि (O best of Brahmins)

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Kala/Sequence (क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-प्रभवम्; अनन्तर/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• वचनम्: words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past); प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator (addressing ‘brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ’; specific frame-speaker not explicit in this snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The mother, after listening carefully, begins to speak—right hand raised in instruction, face composed; daughter attentive, seated lower or standing respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Mother (of the maiden)
• Daughter (Satyavatī, implied)
• Brāhmaṇaśreṣṭhāḥ (Brahmin audience)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underscores the role of elders and careful listening before advising on dharmic choices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a counsel-giving moment.