Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

उपोषणोपस्थदंडो दशैते नियमाः स्मृताः । कामं क्रोधं दमं मोहं मात्सर्यं लोभमेव च

Transliteration

upoṣaṇopasthadaṃḍo daśaite niyamāḥ smṛtāḥ | kāmaṃ krodhaṃ damaṃ mohaṃ mātsaryaṃ lobhameva ca

Translation

Fasten und Zügelung der Sinne gelten als Teil der zehn Niyamas. Ebenso soll man Begierde, Zorn, mangelnde Selbstbeherrschung, Verblendung, Neid und Gier bezwingen.

Word by Word

• उपोषण: fasting
• उपोषण: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• उपस्थ: sexual organ (i.e., sensuality)
• उपस्थ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• दण्डः: punishment/discipline
• दण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्/दश (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; नियमाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एते: these
• एते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; नियमाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नियमाः: observances (niyamas)
• नियमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are said/are remembered
• स्मृताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• कामम्: desire
• कामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• क्रोधम्: anger
• क्रोधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दमम्: self-control
• दमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मोहम्: delusion
• मोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मात्सर्यम्: envy
• मात्सर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्सर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• लोभम्: greed
• लोभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa narrative voice; traditionally framed within Sūta’s discourse in Purāṇic setting)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic or disciplined householder practicing fasting and sense-restraint: simple meal set aside, japa-mālā in hand, senses symbolically restrained (closed eyes, calm posture), with the six inner enemies depicted as shadowy figures retreating.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular observances like fasting and sense-restraint must be paired with conquering inner enemies such as desire, anger, delusion, envy, and greed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the verse teaches portable pilgrimage-dharma—purity of conduct wherever one lives or travels.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upoṣaṇa (fasting) and strict sense-discipline (including sexual restraint) are directly prescribed.