Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

बाह्यानामांतराणां वा विना तं तृणवद्विदुः । इंद्रियाणि निगृह्यैव दुष्टानीति निपीडयेत्

Transliteration

bāhyānāmāṃtarāṇāṃ vā vinā taṃ tṛṇavadviduḥ | iṃdriyāṇi nigṛhyaiva duṣṭānīti nipīḍayet

Translation

من غير إحكام ذلك «الأصل الباطن»، تُعرَفُ الأمورُ الظاهرةُ والباطنةُ كأنها قشٌّ لا قيمة له. فلْيَكُفَّ المرءُ الحواسَّ، ولْيَكْبِتِ الأشرارَ—أي قوى الحواس الجامحة.

Word by Word

• बाह्यानाम्: of external (things)
• बाह्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjectival genitive)

• अन्तराणाम्: of internal (things)
• अन्तराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: “or”)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय; वियोग/वर्जनार्थ (preposition-like indeclinable: “without”), द्वितीया-योग्य (governs accusative)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• तृणवत्: like grass
• तृणवत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तृण + वत् (प्रातिपदिक; वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (comparative adverb: “like grass”)

• विदुः: they know/consider
• विदुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• इन्द्रियाणि: the senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• निगृह्य: having restrained
• निगृह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): “having restrained”; उपसर्ग: नि

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• दुष्टानि: wicked, unruly
• दुष्टानि: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifies इन्द्रियाणि)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• निपीडयेत्: one should press down/subdue
• निपीडयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पीड् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: नि

Speaker

Unspecified (continuation of the inquiry/teaching thread before 'Bāla uvāca')

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: An inquirer troubled by ignorance and suffering (preceding questions)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seated ascetic restrains the senses as personified horses or serpents; outer objects (garlands, gold, pleasures) lie like straw, while an inner flame/linga glows in the heart-lotus.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worth lies in inner mastery; sense-restraint is essential for dharma and higher realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse teaches a universal discipline applicable to all sacred journeys.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A yogic-ethical prescription is given: restrain (nigraha) and subdue the senses.