Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तस्यासीदपरो विप्रः सखा सारस्वताह्वयः । तावुभौ परमस्निग्धावेकदेशनिवासिनौ

Transliteration

tasyāsīdaparo vipraḥ sakhā sārasvatāhvayaḥ | tāvubhau paramasnigdhāvekadeśanivāsinau

Translation

“അവന് ‘സാരസ്വതൻ’ എന്നു പേരുള്ള മറ്റൊരു ബ്രാഹ്മണ സുഹൃത്ത് ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അവർ ഇരുവരും പരമസ്നേഹികൾ; ഒരേ ദേശഭാഗത്ത് താമസിച്ചു.”

Word by Word

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

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अपरः: another
• अपरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विप्रः)

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• सारस्वत-आह्वयः: named ‘Sārasvata’
• सारस्वत-आह्वयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारस्वत + आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सारस्वतः इति आह्वयः यस्य)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (तौ)

• परम-स्निग्धौ: very affectionate
• परम-स्निग्धौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अत्यन्तं स्निग्धौ)

• एक-देश-निवासिनौ: dwelling in the same place
• एक-देश-निवासिनौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + देश + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (एकस्मिन् देशे निवासिनौ)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sauti)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two brāhmaṇa friends, Vedamitra and Sārasvata, meeting in an āśrama courtyard, exchanging respectful greetings, with shared study materials and a sacred fire nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Vedamitra (implied)
• Sārasvata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy friendship (satsaṅga) and shared life with the virtuous supports steadiness in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes relationships and setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces key persons for the unfolding account.