Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

स कदाचिद्वने क्वापि रममाणौ किशोरकौ । अपश्यदंतकाकारो नवोढौ मुनिदंपती

Transliteration

sa kadācidvane kvāpi ramamāṇau kiśorakau | apaśyadaṃtakākāro navoḍhau munidaṃpatī

Translation

ఒకసారి అడవిలో ఎక్కడో ఆ అంతకసమానుడు ఆనందముగా క్రీడించుచున్న నవవివాహిత యువ మునిదంపతులను చూచెను।

Word by Word

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

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: Kriya-viseshana (Temporal adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (at some time)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• क्वापि: somewhere
• क्वापि: Kriya-viseshana (Locative adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययसमूह; स्थानवाचक (somewhere)

• रममाणौ: sporting, enjoying
• रममाणौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम् (धातु)
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle) पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘किशोरकौ’ इति विशेषण = enjoying/sporting

• किशोरकौ: two youths
• किशोरकौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किशोरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), द्विवचन

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्तकाकारः: death-like in appearance
• अन्तकाकारः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अन्तकस्य आकारः) = having the appearance of Death

• नवोढौ: the newlyweds (two)
• नवोढौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, द्विवचन; कर्मधारयः (नवः ऊढः) = newly married (pair)

• मुनिदम्पती: the sage-couple
• मुनिदम्पती: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + दम्पती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मुनेः दम्पती) = the sage and his wife (couple)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic recounting)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youthful sage and his newlywed wife play joyfully in a forest clearing—gentle smiles, garlands, soft light—while, from behind trees, the death-like rākṣasa watches, casting a long shadow toward them.

Characters & Entities

• Kalmaṣāṅghri
• Muni (unnamed)
• Muni’s wife (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas contrast innocent dharmic life with predatory adharma, preparing the listener to see how righteousness is tested and ultimately safeguarded.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the scene is set generically in a forest (vana) as part of the moral narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.