Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

मात्रश्च ब्राह्मणश्चैव श्रोत्रियश्च ततः परम् । अनूचानस्तथा भ्रूण ऋषिकल्प ऋषिर्मुनिः

Transliteration

mātraśca brāhmaṇaścaiva śrotriyaśca tataḥ param | anūcānastathā bhrūṇa ṛṣikalpa ṛṣirmuniḥ

Translation

他们是：mātra（仅凭出生者）、婆罗门、诵吠陀者（śrotriya）；其后为精通诵习者（anūcāna）；又有 bhrūṇa、ṛṣikalpa、ṛṣi 与 muni。

Word by Word

• mātraḥ: (the) ‘mātra’ (mere-born Brahmin)
• mātraḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• brāhmaṇaḥ: Brahmin
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• śrotriyaḥ: a Veda-learned Brahmin (śrotriya)
• śrotriyaḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrotriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (thereafter)

• param: further/next
• param: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as adverbial accusative)

• anūcānaḥ: one who has studied (the Veda)
• anūcānaḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anu + √vac (धातु) ; अनूचान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त/क्विप्-प्रायः; ‘one who has studied/recited’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tathā: also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थक (also)

• bhrūṇaḥ: bhrūṇa (a Brahmin of higher status, context-specific)
• bhrūṇaḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrūṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ṛṣikalpaḥ: ṛṣi-like (sage-like)
• ṛṣikalpaḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः उपमान-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय (ऋषिसदृशः)

• ṛṣiḥ: a sage (ṛṣi)
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• muniḥ: a silent sage (muni)
• muniḥ: Karta (Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), contextually within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vipra (addressed brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vertical 'ladder' of eight figures: from a simple-born householder at the bottom to a radiant muni at the top, each holding symbols—sacred thread, Veda manuscript, staff, kamandalu—indicating increasing discipline.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual and social excellence is graded by learning, discipline, and realized qualities—not merely by birth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the verse enumerates dharma categories.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a classificatory list preparing for definitions in following verses.