Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

जितेंद्रियो जिताहारः प्रविवेश तपोवनम् । ताते तपोवनं याते धर्मगुप्ताभिधो नृपः

Transliteration

jiteṃdriyo jitāhāraḥ praviveśa tapovanam | tāte tapovanaṃ yāte dharmaguptābhidho nṛpaḥ

Translation

Nachdem er die Sinne bezwungen und die Nahrung gezügelt hatte, trat er in den Wald der Askese ein. Als sein Vater in den Wald der Einsiedelei ging, übernahm der König namens Dharmagupta die königliche Pflicht.

Word by Word

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येन (तत्पुरुष; ‘one whose senses are conquered’)

• जिताहारः: moderate in diet
• जिताहारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—जितः आहारः येन (तत्पुरुष; ‘one who has restrained food’)

• प्रविवेश: entered
• प्रविवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः—प्र

• तपोवनम्: the forest of austerities (hermitage)
• तपोवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तपसः वनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ताते: when the father (was...)
• ताते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘when the father…’ (locative absolute usage with participle)

• तपोवनम्: to the hermitage-forest
• तपोवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• याते: having gone (when he had gone)
• याते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• धर्मगुप्ताभिधः: named Dharmagupta
• धर्मगुप्ताभिधः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मगुप्त + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—धर्मगुप्त इति अभिधः (तत्पुरुष; ‘named Dharmagupta’)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya-vāsinaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Nanda, now ascetic, leaves palace and walks into a dense tapovana; matted hair beginning, simple bark garment, waterpot; deer and sages’ huts visible; simultaneously, Dharmagupta stands poised to rule.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmagupta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-mastery (sense-control and moderation) is praised as the foundation of both spiritual life and righteous leadership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tapovana (hermitage-forest) is mentioned generally; the chapter’s broader tīrtha focus remains Dhanuṣkoṭi/Setu region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; ascetic discipline (dietary restraint and sense-control) is implied.