Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

स्वदेहदण्डनैर्युक्ता रात्रौ वीरासने स्थिताः । दंडिनस्ते समाख्याताः सर्वमेतत्तवोदितम्

Transliteration

svadehadaṇḍanairyuktā rātrau vīrāsane sthitāḥ | daṃḍinaste samākhyātāḥ sarvametattavoditam

Translation

Indem sie an ihrem eigenen Leib Selbstzucht üben und nachts in der Haltung des vīrāsana verweilen, werden sie Daṇḍins genannt. All dies ist von dir verkündet worden.

Word by Word

• sva-deha-daṇḍanaiḥ: with self-body mortifications
• sva-deha-daṇḍanaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘स्वदेहदण्डन’ = self-body-mortification/penance

• yuktāḥ: endowed (with)
• yuktāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; ‘युक्त’ = endowed/engaged

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• vīra-āsane: in the vīrāsana posture
• vīra-āsane: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘vīrāsana’ (a yogic posture)

• sthitāḥ: remaining (seated)
• sthitāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘standing/sitting, stationed’

• daṇḍinaḥ: staff-bearers/ascetics with a staff
• daṇḍinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• samākhyātāḥ: are called/are designated
• samākhyātāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√khyā (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘are called/are declared’

• sarvam: all (this)
• sarvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समस्तवाचक

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tava: to you/of you
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• uditam: has been stated
• uditam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√i (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘said/uttered’

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, with an internal address ‘tava’ indicating prior instruction in dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night in Prabhāsa: a Daṇḍin sits unwavering in vīrāsana, spine erect, eyes half-closed; the body shows disciplined austerity; moonlight and temple lamps frame the vigil.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• vīrāsana
• Daṇḍin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast bodily discipline and night-long vigilance are praised as marks of serious sādhana in a holy kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, depicted as a center where rigorous yogic and ascetic disciplines are maintained.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Remaining in vīrāsana at night and undertaking self-discipline (tapas) as a recognized ascetic regimen.