Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 78
पर्वतानां यथा मेरुर्द्विपदानां द्विजोत्तमः । स्थानजानां तु विप्राणां श्रेष्ठोऽष्टकुलिकस्तथा
parvatānāṃ yathā merurdvipadānāṃ dvijottamaḥ | sthānajānāṃ tu viprāṇāṃ śreṣṭho'ṣṭakulikastathā
كما أنَّ جبل ميرو (Meru) أسمى الجبال، وكما أنَّ «دْوِجُوتَّمَة» (dvijottama) أسمى ذوي القدمين، أي أفضل «المولودين مرتين»، كذلك بين البراهمة المولودين في ذلك الموضع يكون الأَشْتَكُولِكَة هو الأوّل.
Viśvāmitra (deduced)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Meru rises in the background like a golden axis; in the foreground, a dignified dvija-uttama (aṣṭakulika) stands at the tīrtha with a staff, while pilgrims line up for blessings and instructions.
FAQs
Spiritual life values hierarchy grounded in dharma: the ‘best’ is identified to protect ritual purity and maximize sacred outcomes.
The verse glorifies the sanctity of the local tīrtha-region (sthāna) in general; it does not specify a named tīrtha in this line.
It reinforces a norm for tīrtha ceremonies: honor and engage the foremost among the place-born Brāhmaṇas—here identified as Aṣṭakulika.