Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

जितेंद्रियः सुशांतात्मा समः सर्वेषु जन्तुषु । वृक्षमूलाश्रयः शांतः संतुष्टेनांतरात्मना

Transliteration

jiteṃdriyaḥ suśāṃtātmā samaḥ sarveṣu jantuṣu | vṛkṣamūlāśrayaḥ śāṃtaḥ saṃtuṣṭenāṃtarātmanā

Translation

Die Sinne bezwungen, innerlich still und allen Wesen gleichgesinnt, lebte er am Fuß eines Baumes—friedvoll, mit einem Herzen, das in sich selbst Genüge fand.

Word by Word

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त, जि धातु) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारयार्थ: ‘जितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुशान्तात्मा: of very tranquil nature
• सुशान्तात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शान्त (कृदन्त, शम् धातु) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘सु-शान्तः आत्मा यस्य/स्वरूपम्’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समः: equanimous
• समः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; जन्तुषु विशेषण

• जन्तुषु: among creatures
• जन्तुषु: Adhikarana (Domain: among beings)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• वृक्षमूलाश्रयः: dwelling at the root of a tree
• वृक्षमूलाश्रयः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध: ‘वृक्ष-मूल-आश्रय’ = ‘one whose refuge is at the root of a tree’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शान्तः: calm
• शान्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त, शम् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संतुष्टेन: with contented
• संतुष्टेन: Karana/Hetu (Means/cause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-तुष् (धातु) + संतुष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भावे

• अन्तरात्मना: by the inner self
• अन्तरात्मना: Karana (Instrument: by inner self)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘अन्तरः आत्मा’), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Tīrthamāhātmya; exact speaker not explicit in this snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (assembly of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prahlāda seated beneath a great tree, minimal belongings, animals nearby unafraid, indicating universal friendliness; his face serene, eyes soft, posture steady.

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tapas is marked by sense-control, equanimity toward all beings, and inner contentment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it describes the ascetic discipline within the Tīrthamāhātmya frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An ascetic mode of life is implied: solitude, simplicity (vṛkṣamūla-vāsa), and mental discipline.