Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

मतिमद्भ्यो नराः श्रेष्ठास्तेभ्य श्रेष्ठास्तु वाडवाः । विप्रेभ्योऽपि च विद्वांसो विद्वद्भ्यः कृतबुद्धयः

Transliteration

matimadbhyo narāḥ śreṣṭhāstebhya śreṣṭhāstu vāḍavāḥ | viprebhyo'pi ca vidvāṃso vidvadbhyaḥ kṛtabuddhayaḥ

Translation

വെറും ബുദ്ധിമാന്മാരെക്കാൾ സുസംസ്കൃത മനുഷ്യർ ശ്രേഷ്ഠർ; അവരേക്കാൾ വാഡവർ ശ്രേഷ്ഠർ; വിപ്രന്മാരെക്കാൾ സത്യവിദ്വാൻ ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ; വിദ്വാന്മാരെക്കാൾ കൃതബുദ്ധർ—പരിപക്വവും നിയന്ത്രിതവുമായ ബോധമുള്ളവർ—ശ്രേഷ്ഠർ.

Word by Word

• मतिमद्भ्यः: than the intelligent/wise
• मतिमद्भ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (comparative source)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• श्रेष्ठाः: superior
• श्रेष्ठाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of नराः)

• तेभ्यः: than them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रेष्ठाः: superior
• श्रेष्ठाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of वाडवाः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• वाडवाः: (learned) Brahmins/teachers (vāḍava)
• वाडवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāḍava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• विप्रेभ्यः: than Brahmins
• विप्रेभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘even/also’)

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

• विद्वांसः: learned men
• विद्वांसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• विद्वद्भ्यः: than the learned
• विद्वद्भ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• कृतबुद्धयः: those of perfected intellect
• कृतबुद्धयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, कृ (धातु) क्त) + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘made/formed’ + ‘intellect’ = ‘those with perfected intellect’)

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (Janamejaya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: figures representing ‘intelligent’, ‘cultivated human’, ‘brāhmaṇa’, ‘learned scholar’, and ‘kṛta-buddhi’ yogin—shown not by caste markers alone but by posture: debate, study, meditation, service, and serene realization.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Vāḍava (group/title)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True superiority is measured not by birth or mere cleverness, but by learning and a disciplined, perfected understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No direct tirtha reference; the verse continues Dharmāraṇya’s ethical teaching by ranking virtues and capacities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes cultivation of learning and kṛta-buddhi (mature discernment).