Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

उच्चैःश्रवा यथाऽश्वानां गजानां शक्रवाहनः । श्रेष्ठस्थानजविप्राणां तथाष्टकुलसंभवः

Transliteration

uccaiḥśravā yathā'śvānāṃ gajānāṃ śakravāhanaḥ | śreṣṭhasthānajaviprāṇāṃ tathāṣṭakulasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

Just as Uccaiḥśravā is foremost among horses, and Śakra’s mount Airāvata among elephants, so the aṣṭakula-born is foremost among the finest local brāhmaṇas.

Word by Word

• उच्चैःश्रवाः: Uccaiḥśravas (the divine horse)
• उच्चैःश्रवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्चैःश्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle: “as/like”)

• अश्वानाम्: of horses
• अश्वानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• गजानाम्: of elephants
• गजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• शक्रवाहनः: Indra’s mount (Airāvata)
• शक्रवाहनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शक्रस्य वाहनम्)

• श्रेष्ठस्थानजविप्राणाम्: of the best among the place-born Brahmins
• श्रेष्ठस्थानजविप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेष्ठ + स्थानज + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः (निर्धारण/विशेषण-सम्बन्ध): स्थानजविप्राणां मध्ये श्रेष्ठानाम्

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुलना-अव्यय (correlative: “so/likewise”)

• अष्टकुलसंभवः: one born of the eight families (Aṣṭakulika)
• अष्टकुलसंभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + कुल + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): अष्टकुलात् संभवः (born from eight families)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau of ‘foremost beings’: Uccaiḥśravā (white celestial horse) and Airāvata (four-tusked elephant) appear as emblematic comparisons while a dignified aṣṭakula brāhmaṇa stands at a tīrtha-ghāṭa receiving respectful salutations from pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Uccaiḥśravā
• Śakra
• Airāvata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Excellence in dharmic rites is supported by seeking the most esteemed and ritually suitable officiants, as taught through Purāṇic exemplars.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse contributes to the tīrtha-māhātmya by defining ideal local ritual authority; a specific named tīrtha is not stated in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

For śrāddha and related rites at the sacred place, prefer the highest-ranked local brāhmaṇa (aṣṭakula-saṃbhava).