Shloka 22

Devanagari script

शीलयौवनतत्त्वन्यस्तथान्य: सिद्धसाध्ययो: । ऋतभवो मरुतश्वैव देवानां चोदितो गण:,देवताओंमें एक वर्ग ऐसा है, जो सुन्दर शील-स्वभाव और अक्षय यौवनसे सम्पन्न है। दूसरा वर्ग सिद्धों और साध्योंका है। ऋभु और मरुतू-ये देवताओंके समुदायोंके नाम हैं

Transliteration

śīla-yauvana-tattva-nyās tathā anyaḥ siddha-sādhyayoḥ | ṛbhavo marutaś caiva devānāṃ codito gaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Among the gods there are distinct classes. One class is established in noble conduct and endowed with unfailing youth; another consists of the Siddhas and the Sādhyas. The Ṛbhus and the Maruts too are named as divine hosts—companies of gods set in their appointed functions.”

Word by Word

शीलgood conduct, character

यौवनyouth

तत्त्वtrue nature, essence

न्यस्तplaced, endowed (with)

तथाthus, likewise

अन्यःanother (one)

सिद्धof the Siddhas

साध्ययोःof the Sādhyas

ऋतभवःṚtabhava (a class/name of deities)

मरुतःthe Maruts

चand

एवindeed, also

देवानाम्of the gods

चोदितःimpelled, prompted

गणःgroup, host

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Siddhas

Sādhyas

Ṛ

Ṛbhus

Maruts

Devas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ordered cosmos: divine beings are grouped by qualities and functions. Ethical excellence (śīla) and disciplined vitality (yauvana) are presented as defining traits of certain divine classes, implying that virtue and right disposition are foundational even in higher realms.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on broader principles of order and dharma. Here he enumerates categories of divine beings—Siddhas, Sādhyas, Ṛbhus, and Maruts—describing them as recognized hosts within the divine hierarchy.