Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 111

Devanagari script

एते ह्यष्टौ समुद्दिष्टा ब्राह्मणाः प्रथमं श्रुतौ । तेषां परः परः श्रेष्ठो विद्यावृत्तविशेषतः

Transliteration

ete hyaṣṭau samuddiṣṭā brāhmaṇāḥ prathamaṃ śrutau | teṣāṃ paraḥ paraḥ śreṣṭho vidyāvṛttaviśeṣataḥ

Translation

These eight kinds of brāhmaṇas are indeed first declared in the tradition. Among them, each succeeding one is superior to the former, due to distinctions of knowledge and conduct.

Word by Word

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• samuddiṣṭāḥ: have been enumerated
• samuddiṣṭāḥ: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ud + √diś (धातु) ; समुद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे—‘have been enumerated/mentioned’

• brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• prathamam: first
• prathamam: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative: ‘firstly’)

• śrutau: in the Śruti
• śrutau: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• paraḥ: the next/further
• paraḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• paraḥ: each subsequent
• paraḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (each succeeding)

• śreṣṭhaḥ: is superior
• śreṣṭhaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उत्कृष्टार्थक (superlative sense)

• vidyāvṛttaviśeṣataḥ: by distinction of knowledge and conduct
• vidyāvṛttaviśeṣataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial—criterion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक) + viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘-from/with respect to’; पूर्वपदसमासः (विद्या-वृत्त-विशेष) तत्पुरुष-प्रायः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), contextually within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vipra (disciple/interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher points to two scales: one labeled 'विद्या' and the other 'वृत्त'; eight figures stand in ascending order, each higher figure balanced more perfectly on both scales, radiating increasing light.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness is measured by learning and righteous conduct, with higher spiritual types marked by deeper discipline and wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is glorified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it sets a value principle: vidyā and vṛtta determine excellence.