Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

आयुधानां यथा वज्रं सरसां सागरो यथा । श्रेष्ठस्थानजविप्राणां तथाष्टकुलसंभवः

Transliteration

āyudhānāṃ yathā vajraṃ sarasāṃ sāgaro yathā | śreṣṭhasthānajaviprāṇāṃ tathāṣṭakulasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

De même que le vajra est le premier des armes et l’océan le premier des eaux, ainsi celui qui naît des « huit lignées » est le plus éminent parmi les brāhmaṇas locaux les plus excellents.

Word by Word

• आयुधानाम्: of weapons
• आयुधानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/तुल्यताबोधक-अव्यय (as)

• वज्रम्: the thunderbolt (vajra)
• वज्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; उपमानार्थे प्रथमा-प्रयोगः

• सरसाम्: of lakes/ponds
• सरसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सागरः: the ocean
• सागरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/तुल्यताबोधक-अव्यय (as)

• श्रेष्ठस्थानजविप्राणाम्: of the brāhmaṇas born in the best place/seat
• श्रेष्ठस्थानजविप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेष्ठ-स्थान-ज-विप्र (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—(श्रेष्ठस्थानज) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘श्रेष्ठस्थानात् जातः’ + (…विप्र) विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Upamana (Correlative comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्यताबोधक-अव्यय (so/likewise)

• अष्टकुलसंभवः: one born from eight families
• अष्टकुलसंभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट-कुल-सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘अष्टकुलात् सम्भवः’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic composition: Indra’s vajra gleaming, the vast ocean with waves, and a composed aṣṭakula brāhmaṇa holding kuśa and kamaṇḍalu—visualizing strength and depth as metaphors for ritual excellence.

Characters & Entities

• Vajra
• Sāgara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic instruction reinforces dharma by highlighting ‘the best’ standards through universally understood comparisons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha’s ritual culture is upheld through praise of exemplary local priestly lineages, though no single site-name appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prefer the highest-regarded local brāhmaṇa category (aṣṭakula-saṃbhava) for sacred rites.