Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

श्रेष्ठैः सत्कविभिर्युक्ता बृहस्पतिसमैर्द्विजैः । वणिग्जनैस्तथा पौरैः कल्पवृक्षैरिवावृता

Transliteration

śreṣṭhaiḥ satkavibhiryuktā bṛhaspatisamairdvijaiḥ | vaṇigjanaistathā pauraiḥ kalpavṛkṣairivāvṛtā

Translation

นครนี้พร้อมด้วยกวีผู้ประเสริฐและผู้ทรงศีล และด้วยทวิชะ (พราหมณ์) ผู้เสมอด้วยพระพฤหัสบดี; อีกทั้งพ่อค้าและชาวเมือง—ราวกับถูกโอบล้อมด้วยต้นกัลปพฤกษ์ผู้บันดาลปรารถนา

Word by Word

• श्रेष्ठैः: with the best (people)
• श्रेष्ठैः: Karana (Instrument/association)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• सत्: good, true, noble
• सत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक, समासे पूर्वपद (sat-kavi)

• कविभिः: with poets
• कविभिः: Karana (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (सत्कवि)

• युक्ता: associated
• युक्ता: Karta (Subject-predicate agreement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बृहस्पति: Bṛhaspati
• बृहस्पति: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (stem)

• समैः: equal to
• समैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (बृहस्पतिसम)

• द्विजैः: with brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• वणिक्: merchant
• वणिक्: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (stem)

• जनैः: with people
• जनैः: Karana (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (वणिग्जन)

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'likewise/also')

• पौरैः: with citizens
• पौरैः: Karana (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• कल्प: Kalpa (mythic)
• कल्प: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (stem)

• वृक्षैः: with wish-fulfilling trees
• वृक्षैः: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (कल्पवृक्ष)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय

• आवृता: surrounded
• आवृता: Karta (Subject-predicate agreement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवृत (कृदन्त; आ+√वृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced for Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned assembly in Ayodhyā: eminent poets recite; brāhmaṇas with serene brilliance sit like Bṛhaspati; merchants and citizens stand respectfully; behind them, symbolic kalpavṛkṣas arch overhead, suggesting the city’s wish-fulfilling dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Bṛhaspati
• dvija
• vaṇij
• paura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A righteous city is upheld by learning, eloquence, and ethical commerce—wisdom and civic virtue become ‘wish-fulfilling’ for all.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, shown as thriving with sages, poets, merchants, and citizens.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse praises the supportive pillars of dharma—brāhmaṇic learning and responsible civic life.