Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18
Devanagari script
तावुभौ परमस्निग्धौ कुमारौ रूपसुन्दरौ । विद्याभ्यासपरौ बाल्ये सह क्रीडां प्रचक्रतुः
Transliteration
tāvubhau paramasnigdhau kumārau rūpasundarau | vidyābhyāsaparau bālye saha krīḍāṃ pracakratuḥ
Translation
那两位少年王子彼此情谊深厚，形貌俊美；幼时专心习学，也一同嬉戏玩耍。
Word by Word
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन
उभौboth
उभौ:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन (qualifying tau)
परमस्निग्धौvery affectionate
परमस्निग्धौ:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपरम + स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन (qualifying kumārau); समासः—कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्तं स्निग्धौ)
कुमारौtwo youths/princes
कुमारौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन
रूपसुन्दरौbeautiful in appearance
रूपसुन्दरौ:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootरूप + सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन (qualifying kumārau); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रूपेण सुन्दरौ)
विद्याभ्यासपरौdevoted to study/learning practice
विद्याभ्यासपरौ:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootविद्या + अभ्यास + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन (qualifying kumārau); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विद्यायाः अभ्यासे परौ = तत्परौ)
बाल्येin childhood
बाल्ये:
Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootबाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (काल/अवस्था-अधिकरण)
सहtogether
सह:
Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; सहार्थक-अव्यय (with, together)
क्रीडाम्play, sport
क्रीडाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन
प्रचक्रतुःthey did, they engaged in
प्रचक्रतुः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + कृ (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्ष-भूत/परफेक्ट); प्रथमपुरुष; द्विवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker
Unknown (narrative voice within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Two handsome youths studying together—one reading, one listening—then playing in a palace courtyard; a sense of affectionate camaraderie and disciplined learning.
Characters & Entities
S
Sudharmā (implied)T
Tāraka (implied)FAQs
Dharma is nurtured through good friendship and disciplined learning from an early age.
None; the verse describes the protagonists’ upbringing.
None; it emphasizes study (vidyābhyāsa) as a formative virtue.