Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

प्राजापत्यस्तथा ब्राह्मो दैवार्षो चातिशोभना । गांधर्वश्चासुरश्चैव राक्षसश्च पिशाचकः

Transliteration

prājāpatyastathā brāhmo daivārṣo cātiśobhanā | gāṃdharvaścāsuraścaiva rākṣasaśca piśācakaḥ

Translation

Perkahwinan Prājāpatya dan Brāhma, serta Daiva dan Ārṣa—semuanya sangat dimuliakan. Dan turut dihitung juga bentuk Gāndharva, Āsura, Rākṣasa, serta Piśāca.

Word by Word

• प्राजापत्यः: (marriage) of Prajāpati type
• प्राजापत्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक) + अण् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (patronymic/relational adjective used substantively)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमार्थक (adverb: 'also/likewise')

• ब्राह्मः: Brāhma (type of marriage)
• ब्राह्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक; from ब्रह्मन्/ब्राह्मण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धित/विशेषण-प्रयोगः (used as name of a marriage type)

• दैवार्षः: Daiva and Ārṣa (type)
• दैवार्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: द्वन्द्व (दैव + आर्ष) नामरूपेण

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• अतिशोभनाः: very splendid
• अतिशोभनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (अतिशोभन = 'very splendid'); विशेषण

• गान्धर्वः: Gāndharva (type)
• गान्धर्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अण् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (relational)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• असुरः: Āsura (type)
• असुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विवाह-प्रकारनाम)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphasis)

• राक्षसः: Rākṣasa (type)
• राक्षसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विवाह-प्रकारनाम)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पिशाचकः: Piśācaka (type)
• पिशाचकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विवाह-प्रकारनाम)

Speaker

Unspecified (Nāgarakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic ‘teaching tableau’ where the sage enumerates the eight marriage forms; symbolic vignettes (gift of cow, ritual fire, bride-giving) appear as small panels around the central teacher.

Characters & Entities

• Prajāpati
• Gandharva
• Asura
• Rakshasa
• Piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tradition distinguishes marriage forms, praising those aligned with dharma while still naming other socially occurring forms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A formal list of marriage types is given, including the four highly esteemed forms.