Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

ऋग्वेदमष्टमे वर्षे नवमे यजुषां गणम् । दशमे सामवेदं च लीलयाध्यगमत्सुधीः

Transliteration

ṛgvedamaṣṭame varṣe navame yajuṣāṃ gaṇam | daśame sāmavedaṃ ca līlayādhyagamatsudhīḥ

Translation

八岁之时，他通达《梨俱吠陀》；九岁之时，尽习《夜柔吠陀》诸集；十岁之时，又学成《娑摩吠陀》——那智者如同游戏般轻易而得。

Word by Word

• ऋग्वेदम्: the Ṛgveda
• ऋग्वेदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक् + वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ऋचां वेदः)

• अष्टमे: in the eighth
• अष्टमे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (qualifying varṣe)

• वर्षे: year
• वर्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नवमे: in the ninth
• नवमे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying varṣe—elliptic)

• यजुषाम्: of the Yajus (Yajur-veda hymns)
• यजुषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• गणम्: collection, group
• गणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दशमे: in the tenth
• दशमे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying varṣe—elliptic)

• सामवेदम्: the Sāmaveda
• सामवेदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् + वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (साम्नां वेदः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• लीलया: playfully, with ease
• लीलया: Karana (Manner/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as an adverbial instrumental)

• अध्यगमत्: he learned, mastered
• अध्यगमत्: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सुधीः: the wise one
• सुधीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सु-धीः = उत्तमा बुद्धिः यस्य)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-style narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young student recites before a guru; three bundles of palm-leaf manuscripts symbolize Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman; the child’s posture is confident, as if learning is play; classmates watch in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom is shown as the fruit of merit and right formation, enabling swift mastery of sacred knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is prescribed; the verse highlights Vedic study as the dharmic pursuit following upanayana.