Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

नियमान्स्वयमादाय ये त्यजंत्यजितेंद्रियाः । ये ताडयंति गां नित्यं वाहयंति मुहुर्मुहुः

Transliteration

niyamānsvayamādāya ye tyajaṃtyajiteṃdriyāḥ | ye tāḍayaṃti gāṃ nityaṃ vāhayaṃti muhurmuhuḥ

Translation

الذين يتخذون القيود والعهود الدينية ثم يتركونها لأن حواسّهم غير مقهورة؛ والذين يضربون الماشية دائمًا ويُكرهونها على الجرّ مرارًا وتكرارًا—فهذا السلوك مُعلَنٌ أنه مذموم، مناقضٌ لدharma الانضباط.

Word by Word

• नियमान्: rules/vows
• नियमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक (reflexive adverb)

• आदाय: having taken up
• आदाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ‘आ-दा’ = ‘गृहीत्वा’

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• त्यजन्ति: they abandon
• त्यजन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• अजित: unconquered/uncontrolled
• अजित: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √जि ‘to conquer’ with अ-निषेध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• इन्द्रियाः: senses
• इन्द्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ताडयन्ति: they beat/strike
• ताडयन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative)

• वाहयन्ति: they make (it) carry/they drive
• वाहयन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: repeatedly)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-part moral tableau: on one side a person ties a vow-thread then discards it; on the other a herdsman beats a cow repeatedly; a serene ascetic stands between, hand raised in restraint (abhaya/niyama).

Characters & Entities

• Go (cow/cattle)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows without self-control are hollow, and cruelty to animals is adharma; discipline and compassion are essential to righteous living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; it is a general dharma instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reference is to niyamas (observances), but no specific vrata is named; the verse stresses not abandoning disciplines and practicing non-violence.