Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तस्यापि वैश्यनाथस्य कुमारस्त्वेक उत्तमः । स नाम्ना सुनयः प्रोक्तो राजसूनोः सखाऽभवत्

Transliteration

tasyāpi vaiśyanāthasya kumārastveka uttamaḥ | sa nāmnā sunayaḥ prokto rājasūnoḥ sakhā'bhavat

Translation

ആ വൈശ്യനാഥനുമൊരു ഉത്തമപുത്രൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; അവൻ ‘സുനയ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനായി, രാജകുമാരന്റെ സഖാവായി।

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/of that (merchant-lord)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘also’

• वैश्यनाथस्य: of the Vaiśya-lord (merchant chief)
• वैश्यनाथस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वैश्यस्य नाथः)

• कुमारः: a son/boy
• कुमारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कुमारस्य)

• उत्तमः: excellent/best
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कुमारस्य)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by name’ (नाम्ना)

• सुनयः: Sunaya (proper name)
• सुनयः: Apposition (नाम-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• प्रोक्तः: was called/said
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘called/said’

• राजसूनोः: of the king’s son
• राजसूनोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञः सूनुः)

• सखा: friend
• सखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Introduction of Sunaya, the merchant’s excellent son; the two boys meet as equals in affection, signaling a bond that bridges royal and mercantile worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Sunaya
• Bhadrāyu
• Vaiśyanātha (merchant-chief)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Noble friendship across social roles supports dharma and strengthens character in youth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a key relationship in the narrative.