Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

गरुडः पक्षिणां यद्वन्नदीनां सागरो यथा । प्रधानः सर्वधर्माणां शिवरात्रिस्तथोत्तमा

Transliteration

garuḍaḥ pakṣiṇāṃ yadvannadīnāṃ sāgaro yathā | pradhānaḥ sarvadharmāṇāṃ śivarātristathottamā

Translation

Sebagaimana Garuḍa adalah yang terunggul antara segala burung, dan sebagaimana lautan adalah yang utama antara segala sungai, demikianlah juga Śivarātri—yang paling luhur dan yang terpokok antara semua dharma.

Word by Word

• garuḍaḥ: Garuḍa
• garuḍaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pakṣiṇām: of birds
• pakṣiṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• yadvat: just as
• yadvat: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadvat (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (comparative particle: 'just as')

• nadīnām: of rivers
• nadīnām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• sāgaraḥ: ocean
• sāgaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (as/like)

• pradhānaḥ: chief
• pradhānaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• sarva-dharmāṇām: of all dharmas
• sarva-dharmāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (of all dharmas)

• śivarātriḥ: Śivarātri
• śivarātriḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śivarātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb: 'so/likewise')

• uttamā: supreme
• uttamā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Narrative voice within the Māhātmya (contextual; not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (chapter context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ānarta / assembly including a king (context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: Garuḍa soaring above other birds; the ocean receiving rivers; a central Śiva-liṅga with devotees keeping night vigil—visually asserting Śivarātri’s supremacy.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Sāgara (Ocean)
• Śivarātri

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among religious duties, Śivarātri is elevated as a premier practice due to its exceptional merit and Śiva-centered devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is the greatness of Śivarātri within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No procedural details are listed; the verse ranks Śivarātri as the chief dharma, implying its observance.