Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

मुनयो देवताः सिद्धाः साध्या यक्षा मरुद्गणाः । यज्ञोपवीतमात्रेण विभागं चक्रिरे तु ये

Transliteration

munayo devatāḥ siddhāḥ sādhyā yakṣā marudgaṇāḥ | yajñopavītamātreṇa vibhāgaṃ cakrire tu ye

Translation

मुनी, देवता, सिद्ध, साध्य, यक्ष आणि मरुद्गण—ज्यांनी केवळ यज्ञोपवीत (जानवे) याच आधारावर भेद-विभाग केला—

Word by Word

• munayaḥ: Sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• devatāḥ: Deities
• devatāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• siddhāḥ: Siddhas (Perfected beings)
• siddhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• sādhyāḥ: Sadhyas (Celestial beings)
• sādhyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• yakṣāḥ: Yakshas
• yakṣāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• marudgaṇāḥ: Groups of Maruts
• marudgaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: marudgaṇa (marut-gaṇa)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• yajñopavītamātreṇa: Merely by the sacred thread
• yajñopavītamātreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajñopavītamātra (yajñopavīta-mātra)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vibhāgam: Division/Share
• vibhāgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• cakrire: Made/Took
• cakrire: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Lit Lakara (Perfect), Atmanepada, Prathama Purusha (3rd), Plural

• tu: But/Indeed
• tu: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• ye: Who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand assembly near a sacred spot: sages with matted hair, devas radiant, siddhas hovering, yakṣas and maruts in dynamic formation; a subtle focus on the sacred thread as a sign of ritual distinction among participants.

Characters & Entities

• Munis
• Devatās
• Siddhas
• Sādhyas
• Yakṣas
• Maruts
• Yajñopavīta
• Svargadvāra (context continuation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted classes of beings are listed within the tīrtha narrative, hinting that true spiritual worth is not reducible to external markers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues within the Svargadvāra/Ayodhyā glorification context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; it references yajñopavīta as a social/ritual marker in a broader discussion.