Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

यथा सर्वेषु वर्णेषु विप्रो मुख्यतमो भवेत् । मध्ये सर्वतरूणां च ब्रह्मवृक्षो महोत्तमः

Transliteration

yathā sarveṣu varṇeṣu vipro mukhyatamo bhavet | madhye sarvatarūṇāṃ ca brahmavṛkṣo mahottamaḥ

Translation

ଯେପରି ସମସ୍ତ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣକୁ ମୁଖ୍ୟ ମନାଯାଏ, ସେପରି ସମସ୍ତ ଗଛମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମବୃକ୍ଷ ପରମ ଉତ୍ତମ।

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/उदाहरणार्थे (indeclinable; in the sense of comparison “as/just as”)

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (plural)

• वर्णेषु: among the classes/castes
• वर्णेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मुख्यतमः: the most eminent
• मुख्यतमः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अतिशय-तमतम-प्रत्यय (superlative)

• भवेत्: may be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मध्ये: in the midst/among
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (locative)

• सर्वतरूणाम्: of all trees
• सर्वतरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• ब्रह्मवृक्षः: the Brahma-tree
• ब्रह्मवृक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ vṛkṣaḥ)

• महोत्तमः: supremely excellent
• महोत्तमः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (great + best)

Speaker

Vāṇī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahma-vṛkṣa (Palāśa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a venerable Brahma-vṛkṣa stands central, with other trees around; learned brāhmaṇas point and teach pilgrims its supremacy.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmavṛkṣa (Palāśa)
• Varṇa
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas rank sacred supports of dharma—here, the palāśa is elevated as a premier sacred tree worthy of special reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The glorification is of the Brahmavṛkṣa (palāśa) within a tīrtha-oriented discourse, not a named pilgrimage location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied prescription of special honor: treating the Brahmavṛkṣa as foremost among trees, hence fit for prominent worship.