Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 118

Devanagari script

ऊर्ध्वरेता भवत्यग्र्यो नियताशी नसंश यी । शापानुग्रहयोः शक्तः सत्यसंधो भवेदृषिः

Transliteration

ūrdhvaretā bhavatyagryo niyatāśī nasaṃśa yī | śāpānugrahayoḥ śaktaḥ satyasaṃdho bhavedṛṣiḥ

Translation

يَصيرُ أرفعَ الناس—مُساميًا طاقته الحيوية إلى العلوّ (ūrdhvareta)، مقتصدًا في طعامه، منزَّهًا عن الشك؛ قادرًا على اللعن أو البركة، ثابتَ العهد بالصدق—فمثلُه يكونُ رِشيًّا (ṛṣi).

Word by Word

• ūrdhva-retāḥ: one who is celibate/with retained vital energy
• ūrdhva-retāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक) + retas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘ऊर्ध्वं रेतो यस्य सः’ (one whose semen/energy is upward/retained)

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• agryaḥ: foremost, excellent
• agryaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• niyata-āśī: moderate/regulated in diet
• niyata-āśī: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (प्रातिपदिक) + āśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘नियतः आशी’ (one whose eating is regulated)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• saṃśayī: doubtful
• saṃśayī: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃśayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘संशयवान्’ (possessing doubt)

• śāpa-anugrahayoḥ: of curse and favor
• śāpa-anugrahayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः—‘शापः च अनुग्रहः च’

• śaktaḥ: capable, empowered
• śaktaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakta (प्रातिपदिक; √śak-शक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participial adjective)

• satya-saṃdhaḥ: truthful, firm in truth
• satya-saṃdhaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘सत्ये संधिः/प्रतिज्ञा यस्य’ (true to his vow)

• bhavet: would become/should be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ṛṣiḥ: a sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic seated in a forest hermitage, spine erect, gaze inward; a small waterpot and kusa grass nearby; subtle radiance around the head symbolizing tapas and satya; villagers approach respectfully seeking blessing.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthfulness and disciplined austerity mature into spiritual authority that can bless or correct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred place is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Niyamita āhāra (regulated diet) and continence/sublimation (ūrdhvaretas) as parts of tapas.