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

ಯೌವನವು ಸಮೀಪಿಸಿದಾಗ ಅವನು ವೇದಾಧ್ಯಯನವನ್ನು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದನು—ತನ್ನ ವಯಸ್ಸಿನ, ಒಪ್ಪಿಗೆಯಾದ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರೊಂದಿಗೆ, ಅವರು ಸದಾ ಹಾಸ್ಯವಿನೋದಕ್ಕೆ ಪರಾಯಣರಾಗಿದ್ದರು.

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.