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

పూర్వకాలంలో శృగాలము మరియు వానరము నివసించిరి—ఇద్దరూ జాతిస్మరులు. ఇంకా ముందుగా, మానవభావంలో వారు ఇద్దరూ స్నేహితులై ఉండిరి.

Word by Word

• सृगालवानरौ: the jackal and the monkey
• सृगालवानरौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृगाल + वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—सृगालश्च वानरश्च (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Adverbial (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• आस्ताम्: were/abided
• आस्ताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• जातिस्मरौ: remembering their former births
• जातिस्मरौ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जातिस्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—जातिं स्मरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adverbial (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (also)

• मानुषे: human
• मानुषे: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (भावे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• भावे: in the state/condition
• भावे: Adhikarana (Location/State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सखायौ: friends
• सखायौ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

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

• बभूवतुः: became/were
• बभूवतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhanuskoṭi/Setu region (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / brāhmaṇas in assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jackal and a monkey sit facing each other near a coastal grove, their eyes conveying recognition beyond animal life; a faint overlay shows their former human friendship as a translucent vignette.

Characters & Entities

• Sṛgāla (jackal)
• Vānara (monkey)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The continuity of karma and relationships across births is highlighted, preparing the listener for moral instruction through narrative.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets the story’s characters; the adhyāya’s stated focus remains Dhanuskoṭi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it establishes the itihāsa background (jātismara and prior friendship).