Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

नागाः सुपर्णाः पशवः पितामहमुपासते । स्थावरा जंगमाश्चापि महाभूतास्तथा परे

Transliteration

nāgāḥ suparṇāḥ paśavaḥ pitāmahamupāsate | sthāvarā jaṃgamāścāpi mahābhūtāstathā pare

Translation

Nāgas, Suparṇas und die Tiere verehren den Großvater (Brahmā); ebenso die Unbeweglichen und die Beweglichen, ja selbst die großen Elemente und andere Wesen.

Word by Word

• नागाः: nāgas; serpents
• नागाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सुपर्णाः: Suparṇas; birds (e.g., Garuḍa-kind)
• सुपर्णाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पितामहम्: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपासते: worship; attend upon
• उपासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्थावराः: immobile beings
• स्थावराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• जङ्गमाः: mobile beings
• जङ्गमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (Linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Connector (Linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'also/even')

• महाभूताः: great elements
• महाभूताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय (विशेषण-विशेष्य: 'great' + 'elements')

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Connector (Linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (particle: 'also/likewise')

• परे: others
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) [deduced]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dharma (personified) / sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ceremonial tableau in a sacred forest: nāgas with raised hoods, suparṇas (great birds) perched above, animals gathered peacefully, and subtle personifications of the five elements offering homage toward a radiant Brahmā figure.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgas
• Suparṇas
• Paśus
• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Mahābhūtas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is universal: all orders of beings, from elements to creatures, participate in worship and cosmic reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is implied as a universal sanctuary where worship extends across all categories of existence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse mentions upāsanā (worship/attendance) broadly, without specifying a particular ritual sequence.