Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्गुरूणां सततं शुश्रूषातत्परो भवान् । कच्चित्स्मरसि मां तात तव प्राणप्रदं गुरुम्

Transliteration

kaccidgurūṇāṃ satataṃ śuśrūṣātatparo bhavān | kaccitsmarasi māṃ tāta tava prāṇapradaṃ gurum

Translation

“നീ എപ്പോഴും ഗുരുക്കന്മാരുടെ ശുശ്രൂഷയിൽ തൽപരനാണോ? വത്സാ, നിനക്ക് പ്രാണം നൽകിയ ഗുരുവായ എന്നെ നീ സ്മരിക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ?”

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: is it (true) that...?
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative particle)

• गुरूणाम्: of the teachers
• गुरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचन

• सततम्: always
• सततम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सततम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• शुश्रूषा: service/attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karya (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तत्परः: devoted/intent
• तत्परः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• कच्चित्: do you...?
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक

• स्मरसि: remember
• स्मरसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया; एकवचन

• तात: dear son
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी; एकवचन

• प्राणप्रदम्: life-giving
• प्राणप्रदम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणप्रद (प्रातिपदिक) = प्राण + प्रद (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• गुरुम्: teacher
• गुरुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

Speaker

Śivayogin (Ṛṣabha)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the prince

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The yogin gently tests the prince: ‘Do you serve your teachers constantly? Do you remember me, your life-giving guru?’ The prince’s face shows recognition and gratitude.

Characters & Entities

• Śivayogin (guru)
• gurū (teachers)
• rājakumāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving teachers and remembering one’s benefactors is central to dharma and spiritual maturity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy place is referenced; the emphasis is on guru-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; śuśrūṣā (attentive service) is presented as a sustained discipline.