Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4
Devanagari script
सर्वाभ्योपि नदीभ्यश्च श्रेष्ठाः सर्वाः समुद्रगाः । ततोपि हि महाश्रेष्ठाः सरित्सु सरिदुत्तमाः
Transliteration
sarvābhyopi nadībhyaśca śreṣṭhāḥ sarvāḥ samudragāḥ | tatopi hi mahāśreṣṭhāḥ saritsu sariduttamāḥ
Translation
諸河のうち、海へと注ぐ河は最もすぐれている。だがそれにも勝る至上の河があり、流れの中の最勝として讃えられる。
Word by Word
सर्वाभ्यःfrom all
सर्वाभ्यः:
Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), अपि-अर्थ (even/also)
नदीभ्यःfrom (among) the rivers
नदीभ्यः:
Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootनदी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), बहुवचन (Plural)
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
श्रेष्ठाःexcellent/superior
श्रेष्ठाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण
सर्वाःall
सर्वाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण
समुद्रगाःocean-going (flowing to the sea)
समुद्रगाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसमुद्र + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण; (समुद्रं गच्छन्ति इति)
ततःthan that/thereafter
ततः:
Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (adverbial ablative), तस्मात्-अर्थ (thereafter/from that)
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), अपि-अर्थ (even)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)
महाश्रेष्ठाःvery excellent
महाश्रेष्ठाः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहा + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण
सरित्सुamong the rivers
सरित्सु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootसरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)
सरिदुत्तमाःthe best of rivers
सरिदुत्तमाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसरित् + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण; (सरितां उत्तमाः)
Speaker
Mārkaṇḍeya
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Munayaḥ
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A symbolic map-like tableau: many rivers converging toward the ocean; above them a highlighted set of ‘best streams’ glowing brighter, indicating higher sanctity.
Characters & Entities
R
RiversO
Ocean (samudra)FAQs
Purāṇic sacred geography recognizes degrees of sanctity, moving from general praise toward identifying the most eminent rivers.
No single site yet; it introduces a graded exaltation of rivers, leading to naming the foremost rivers.
None; it is a doctrinal ranking statement rather than a ritual instruction.