Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2
Devanagari script
सृगालवानरौ पूर्वमास्तां जातिस्मरावुभौ । पुरापि मानुषे भावे सखायौ तौ बभूवतुः
Transliteration
sṛgālavānarau pūrvamāstāṃ jātismarāvubhau | purāpi mānuṣe bhāve sakhāyau tau babhūvatuḥ
Translation
പൂർവകാലത്ത് ശൃഗാലനും വാനരനും ജീവിച്ചിരുന്നു—ഇരുവരും ജാതിസ്മരന്മാർ. അതിനുമുമ്പ് മനുഷ്യഭാവത്തിൽ അവർ രണ്ടുപേരും സുഹൃത്തുക്കളായിരുന്നു.
Word by Word
सृगालवानरौthe jackal and the monkey
सृगालवानरौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसृगाल + वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—सृगालश्च वानरश्च (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः)
पूर्वम्formerly
पूर्वम्:
Adverbial (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्वम् (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
आस्ताम्were/abided
आस्ताम्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआस् (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद
जातिस्मरौremembering their former births
जातिस्मरौ:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजातिस्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—जातिं स्मरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः)
उभौboth
उभौ:
Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootउभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन
पुराformerly
पुरा:
Adverbial (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)
अपिalso
अपि:
Discourse particle (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (also)
मानुषेhuman
मानुषे:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (भावे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)
भावेin the state/condition
भावे:
Adhikarana (Location/State/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन
सखायौfriends
सखायौ:
Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootसखि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन
बभूवतुःbecame/were
बभूवतुः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker
Sūta (continuing narration)
Characters & Entities
S
Sṛgāla (jackal)V
Vānara (monkey)FAQs
The continuity of karma and relationships across births is highlighted, preparing the listener for moral instruction through narrative.
The verse sets the story’s characters; the adhyāya’s stated focus remains Dhanuskoṭi.
None; it establishes the itihāsa background (jātismara and prior friendship).