Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 78
पर्वतानां यथा मेरुर्द्विपदानां द्विजोत्तमः । स्थानजानां तु विप्राणां श्रेष्ठोऽष्टकुलिकस्तथा
parvatānāṃ yathā merurdvipadānāṃ dvijottamaḥ | sthānajānāṃ tu viprāṇāṃ śreṣṭho'ṣṭakulikastathā
Sebagaimana Gunung Meru terunggul antara gunung-ganang, dan antara yang berkaki dua, dvijottama—yang terbaik antara yang dua kali lahir—adalah terunggul, demikianlah antara brāhmaṇa yang lahir di tempat itu, Aṣṭakulika juga yang paling utama.
Viśvāmitra (deduced)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Meru rises in the background like a golden axis; in the foreground, a dignified dvija-uttama (aṣṭakulika) stands at the tīrtha with a staff, while pilgrims line up for blessings and instructions.
FAQs
Spiritual life values hierarchy grounded in dharma: the ‘best’ is identified to protect ritual purity and maximize sacred outcomes.
The verse glorifies the sanctity of the local tīrtha-region (sthāna) in general; it does not specify a named tīrtha in this line.
It reinforces a norm for tīrtha ceremonies: honor and engage the foremost among the place-born Brāhmaṇas—here identified as Aṣṭakulika.