Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

पक्षिणां गरुडो यद्वत्सिंहोऽरण्यनिवासिनाम् । स्थानजानां तु विप्राणां श्रेष्ठोऽष्टकुलिकस्तथा

Transliteration

pakṣiṇāṃ garuḍo yadvatsiṃho'raṇyanivāsinām | sthānajānāṃ tu viprāṇāṃ śreṣṭho'ṣṭakulikastathā

Translation

ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಗರುಡನು ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನು, ಅರಣ್ಯನಿವಾಸಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಂಹ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವಾದಂತೆ, ಆ ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಿಸಿದ ಸ್ಥಳಜ ವಿಪ್ರರಲ್ಲಿ ಅಷ್ಟಕುಲಿಕನು ಕೂಡ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನು।

Word by Word

• पक्षिणाम्: of birds
• पक्षिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative: “just as”)

• सिंहः: lion
• सिंहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अरण्यनिवासिनाम्: of forest-dwellers
• अरण्यनिवासिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः (सप्तमी/तत्पुरुष-भाव): अरण्ये निवासिनः

• स्थानजानाम्: of the place-born (people)
• स्थानजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थानज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: “but/indeed”)

• विप्राणाम्: of Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• श्रेष्ठः: best
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अष्टकुलिकः: the Aṣṭakulika
• अष्टकुलिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + कुलिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): अष्टकुलसम्बद्धः

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

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Garuḍa spreads golden wings above a sacred precinct while a lion stands sentinel near the forest edge; at the center, an aṣṭakulika brāhmaṇa presides over orderly pilgrims at the ghāṭa, embodying protective authority.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Siṃha (lion)
• Aṣṭakulika

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse underscores discernment (viveka) in dharmic practice: the most eminent should be recognized and honored for sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The focus is on the tīrtha ‘place’ and its native ritual community; the named geography is not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general directive for tīrtha rites: prefer the foremost place-born Brāhmaṇa (Aṣṭakulika) for officiation and receiving offerings.