Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

चतुर्णामपि भूतानां प्राणिनोतीव चोत्तमाः । प्राणिकेभ्योपि मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सर्वे बुद्ध्युपजीविनः

Transliteration

caturṇāmapi bhūtānāṃ prāṇinotīva cottamāḥ | prāṇikebhyopi muniśreṣṭhāḥ sarve buddhyupajīvinaḥ

Translation

在四类众生之中，有命之众实为最胜；而在有命者中，最上者为诸大牟尼——因为他们皆以觉悟之慧而生、依慧而行。

Word by Word

• चतुर्णाम्: of four
• चतुर्णाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle: ‘also/even’)

• भूतानाम्: of beings/creatures
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘very/exceedingly’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• उत्तमाः: excellent, superior
• उत्तमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of प्राणिनः)

• प्राणिकेभ्यः: than living beings / from the living
• प्राणिकेभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘even/also’)

• मुनिश्रेष्ठाः: best sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘best among sages’)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of मुनिश्रेष्ठाः)

• बुद्धि: intellect
• बुद्धि: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासपूर्वपद)

• उपजीविनः: living by (their) intellect
• उपजीविनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-जीव् (धातु) + इनि (प्रातिपदिक: upajīvin)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (इनि-प्रत्यय): ‘living by/depending on’

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (Janamejaya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of sages with matted hair and staffs, luminous foreheads, seated in meditation; below them ordinary beings; above them a subtle radiance signifying buddhi/awakening.

Characters & Entities

• Munis (sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment (buddhi) elevates life; sages exemplify the highest use of intelligence in service of dharma and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a specific tirtha; the verse praises the sage-ideal that typically flourishes in sacred forests like Dharmāraṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a value-teaching exalting the muni life grounded in buddhi and dharma.