Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तस्यार्बुद इति ख्पातो वयस्यः परमं प्रियः । नागः प्राणभृतां श्रेष्ठः खेचरोऽपि च वीर्यवान्

Transliteration

tasyārbuda iti khpāto vayasyaḥ paramaṃ priyaḥ | nāgaḥ prāṇabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ khecaro'pi ca vīryavān

Translation

അവനു ‘അർബുദ’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധനായ അതിപ്രിയ സഖാവുണ്ട്—അവൻ ഒരു നാഗൻ, ജീവികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ, ആകാശചരനും, മഹാവീര്യസമ്പന്നനും ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्बुदः: Arbuda
• अर्बुदः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• इति: thus, named
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशार्थक (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: known, famed
• ख्यातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (अर्बुदः)

• वयस्यः: companion, friend
• वयस्यः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमम्: exceedingly
• परमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययभावे द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative), तीव्रतावाचक

• प्रियः: dear
• प्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वयस्यः/अर्बुदः)

• नागः: Nāga (serpent-being)
• नागः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राणभृताम्: of living beings
• प्राणभृताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्राणान् बिभ्रति इति)

• श्रेष्ठः: best
• श्रेष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नागः)

• खेचरः: sky-goer (one who moves in the sky)
• खेचरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी/तत्पुरुषार्थे (खे चरति इति)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक

• वीर्यवान्: powerful, valorous
• वीर्यवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda (eponym/guardian figure)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The addressed mountain/assembly (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandivardhana with his beloved companion Arbuda: a majestic nāga with jeweled hood, yet also depicted as a sky-moving heroic being; the pair poised for a great feat.

Characters & Entities

• Arbuda
• Nandivardhana
• Nāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred tasks are supported by divinely endowed allies; friendship and strength become instruments of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda sacred region (Mount Arbuda/Mount Abu) is the implied locus through the figure named Arbuda.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse characterizes Arbuda’s power and status.