Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

व्रतोपवाससंयुक्तः शांतात्मा विजितेंद्रियः । ब्रह्मचारी सदा ध्यानी नरकं याति नो नरः

Transliteration

vratopavāsasaṃyuktaḥ śāṃtātmā vijiteṃdriyaḥ | brahmacārī sadā dhyānī narakaṃ yāti no naraḥ

Translation

Wer Gelübde und Fasten übt, im Geist friedvoll ist, die Sinne bezwungen hat, in Brahmacarya lebt und stets in Meditation verweilt—ein solcher Mensch geht nicht zur Hölle.

Word by Word

• व्रतोपवाससंयुक्तः: endowed with vows and fasting
• व्रतोपवाससंयुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (व्रत + उपवास) ततः तत्पुरुषार्थे संयुक्तः (व्रतोपवासैः संयुक्तः = endowed with vows and fasting)

• शान्तात्मा: calm-minded
• शान्तात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (शान्तः आत्मा यस्य = calm-souled)

• विजितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (senses conquered)
• विजितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रियाणि विजितानि यस्य = one who has conquered the senses)

• ब्रह्मचारी: celibate student; one who practices brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्यिन्/ब्रह्मचारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• ध्यानी: meditator
• ध्यानी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• उ: indeed (emphatic)
• उ: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पदपूरण/अनुनासिक-निपात (expletive/emphatic particle)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Yama (contextual, continuing instruction in this passage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience within the discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm ascetic sits in meditation under a tree near a shrine; a simple water pot and rosary lie beside him; his senses are depicted as subdued animals; Yama’s noose hangs slack, powerless.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner restraint—vows, fasting, sense-mastery, and meditation—purifies karma and prevents descent to naraka.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights personal sādhana within the tīrtha-māhātmya setting rather than naming a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of vrata (vows), upavāsa (fasting), brahmacarya, and regular dhyāna.