Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । पुरासीद्ब्राह्मणो मित्रं भृगुवंशकुलोद्वहः । गरुडस्य द्विजश्रेष्ठा बालभावादपि प्रभो

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | purāsīdbrāhmaṇo mitraṃ bhṛguvaṃśakulodvahaḥ | garuḍasya dvijaśreṣṭhā bālabhāvādapi prabho

Translation

スータは語った。「昔、ブリグ族の誉れたる一人のバラモンがいた。おお最勝の二度生まれよ、主よ、彼は幼き頃よりガルダの親友であった。」

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriya-vishesana (Time/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मित्रम्: a friend
• मित्रम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता-विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (apposition)

• भृगुवंशकुलोद्वहः: the upholder/glory of the Bhṛgu lineage and family
• भृगुवंशकुलोद्वहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु + वंश + कुल + उद्वह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भृगुवंशस्य कुलस्य उद्वहः)

• गरुडस्य: of Garuḍa
• गरुडस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: O best of twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समासार्थे ‘द्विजानां श्रेष्ठाः’

• बालभावात्: from childhood/owing to childhood
• बालभावात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बालस्य भावः)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (Munayaḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta’s son begins the backstory: a dignified Bhṛgu-line brāhmaṇa, youthful companionship with Garuḍa implied through a flashback—two figures in early-life camaraderie, later foreshadowing tapas and divine encounters.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Garuḍa
• Bhṛgu lineage

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic māhātmyas root miraculous events in dharmic relationships, noble lineages, and long-standing bonds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces characters for the chapter’s tīrtha narrative; the glorification remains tied to the Nāgarakhaṇḍa kṣetra where the later grace-event unfolds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is introductory narration.