Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

स्थावरः सर्पजातिश्च पक्षिजातिस्तथैव च । मृगसंज्ञश्चतुर्थश्च पश्वाख्यः पञ्चमः स्मृतः

Transliteration

sthāvaraḥ sarpajātiśca pakṣijātistathaiva ca | mṛgasaṃjñaścaturthaśca paśvākhyaḥ pañcamaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

「第一は不動の類（草木など）、第二は蛇族、第三は鳥族である。第四は野の獣と呼ばれ、第五は家畜の類として記憶される。」

Word by Word

• स्थावरः: the immobile (plants etc.)
• स्थावरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्पजातिः: the class of serpents
• सर्पजातिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प-जाती (प्रातिपदिक; सर्प + जाति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्पाणां जातिः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• पक्षिजातिः: the class of birds
• पक्षिजातिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षि-जाती (प्रातिपदिक; पक्षि + जाति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पक्षिणां जातिः)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in that manner/also)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• मृगसंज्ञः: the one termed ‘mṛga’ (beasts)
• मृगसंज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग-संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; मृग + संज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मृग इति संज्ञा यस्य)

• चतुर्थः: fourth
• चतुर्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (क्रमवाचक-विशेषण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• पश्वाख्यः: the one called ‘paśu’ (domestic animals)
• पश्वाख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; पशु + आख्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पशु इति आख्या यस्य)

• पञ्चमः: fifth
• पञ्चमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (क्रमवाचक-विशेषण)

• स्मृतः: is said/considered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातुः—स्मृ (1P)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Purāṇic narration style within Māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic register showing five early categories: immovable beings (trees/rocks), serpents, birds, wild beasts, and cattle—each arriving or present around the sacred precinct in harmonious order.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All forms of life are counted within a sacred cosmic order, and yajña is portrayed as an event that concerns the whole creation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), described as the setting for a grand yajña within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription here; the verse classifies beings as part of the broader yajña narrative.