Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्रा वै वर्णसंकराः । कृमिम्लेच्छाश्च ये चान्ये संकीर्णाः पापयोनयः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrā vai varṇasaṃkarāḥ | kṛmimlecchāśca ye cānye saṃkīrṇāḥ pāpayonayaḥ

Translation

ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ, କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ, ବୈଶ୍ୟ, ଶୂଦ୍ର ଏବଂ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣସଙ୍କର; ତଥା କୃମି, ମ୍ଲେଚ୍ଛ ଓ ଅନ୍ୟାନ୍ୟ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ପାପଯୋନିଜାତ ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନେ—

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• kṣatriyāḥ: Kshatriyas
• kṣatriyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vaiśyāḥ: Vaishyas
• vaiśyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• śūdrāḥ: Shudras
• śūdrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vai: Indeed
• vai: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis)

• varṇasaṃkarāḥ: Mixed castes
• varṇasaṃkarāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇasaṃkara (varṇa-saṃkara)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• kṛmimlecchāḥ: Insects and barbarians
• kṛmimlecchāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmimleccha (kṛmi-mleccha)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

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

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• anye: Others
• anye: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• saṃkīrṇāḥ: Mixed/Hybrid
• saṃkīrṇāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃkīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• pāpayonayaḥ: Of sinful birth/womb
• pāpayonayaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpayoni (pāpa-yoni)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svargadvāra (Ayodhyā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A diverse assembly approaches Svargadvāra: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, mixed-origin people, and distant outsiders; all stand together at the riverbank, united in reverence under a single sacred canopy.

Characters & Entities

• Svargadvāra (context continuation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s sanctity is presented as universal, extending beyond social categories to all kinds of births.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Svargadvāra glorification in Ayodhyā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it enumerates who can be included in the tīrtha’s sphere of grace.