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Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

मृदुत्वं सेव्यमानास्तु सिंहशार्दूलकुंजराः । यथा यान्ति तथा प्राणो वश्यो भवति साधितः

mṛdutvaṃ sevyamānāstu siṃhaśārdūlakuṃjarāḥ | yathā yānti tathā prāṇo vaśyo bhavati sādhitaḥ

Wie Löwen, Tiger und Elefanten durch Zähmung und Pflege sanft werden, so wird auch der Prāṇa beherrschbar, wenn er rechtmäßig geübt und gezügelt wird.

मृदुत्वम्gentleness, softness
मृदुत्वम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमृदुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘सेव्यमानाः’ इत्यस्य कर्म
सेव्यमानाःbeing served/treated
सेव्यमानाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootसेव् (धातु) → सेव्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘being served/being attended’
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)
सिंह-शार्दूल-कुञ्जराःlions, tigers, and elephants
सिंह-शार्दूल-कुञ्जराः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formइतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
यथाjust as
यथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Correlative/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as, just as)
यान्तिthey go/come to be
यान्ति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
तथाso, likewise
तथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Correlative/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formतदनुरूप/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (so, in that way)
प्राणःbreath, vital air
प्राणः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वश्यःcontrollable, obedient
वश्यः:
Visheshana (Subject complement/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्राणः’ इति विशेषणम्
भवतिbecomes
भवति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
साधितःdisciplined, mastered
साधितः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसाध् (धातु) → साधित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्राणः’ इति विशेषणम् (disciplined/controlled)

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Scene: A yogin calmly seated while stylized lion, tiger, and elephant bow or sit peacefully nearby, symbolizing prāṇa subdued by practice; the breath shown as a controlled ribbon of air.

FAQs

Prāṇa can be mastered through steady training, just as even powerful animals become gentle under proper discipline.

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse uses a practical metaphor for yogic control.

The implied prescription is consistent practice and disciplined training of the breath (prāṇa-sādhana).