Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वाऽथ व्यभजंस्तत्सर्वं मुनयश्च ते । यज्ञोपवीतमात्राणि स्वानि तीर्थानि चक्रिरे

Transliteration

evamuktvā'tha vyabhajaṃstatsarvaṃ munayaśca te | yajñopavītamātrāṇi svāni tīrthāni cakrire

Translation

આવું કહી તે મુનિઓએ બધું વહેંચી લીધું અને માત્ર પોતાના યજ્ઞોપવીતને આધાર બનાવી પોતાના પોતાના તીર્થો સ્થાપ્યાં.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (thus)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक निपात (then/thereupon)

• व्यभजन्: dividing, distributing
• व्यभजन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + भज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन/बहुवचन-सन्दर्भे सामूहिक; मुख्यक्रियासह समकालिक (dividing)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सर्वम् इति)

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (and)

• ते: those (sages)
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• यज्ञोपवीत-मात्राणि: only sacred threads (as their share)
• यज्ञोपवीत-मात्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञोपवीत (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (यज्ञोपवीतस्य मात्रम् = only the sacred thread)

• स्वानि: their own
• स्वानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थानि इति)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• चक्रिरे: they made/established
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (continuing the narrative about the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of sages divides the sacred area and ritually ‘marks’ bathing spots; the yajñopavīta is visually prominent—white thread across the torso—used symbolically as the sole implement of consecration.

Characters & Entities

• Munis
• Yajñopavīta
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holiness is not merely geographical; it can be ritually established by realized sages through dharmic authority and purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Multiple “own tīrthas” created by the sages at the larger sacred locale described in Adhyāya 182.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The establishment/marking of tīrthas by sages, with emphasis on yajñopavīta (sacred thread) as a sign of ritual eligibility.