Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

प्राणायामपरो नित्यं ध्यानवान्विजितेंद्रियः । भैक्ष्यभक्षी व्रती चापि सर्वप्रत्याहृतेंद्रियः

Transliteration

prāṇāyāmaparo nityaṃ dhyānavānvijiteṃdriyaḥ | bhaikṣyabhakṣī vratī cāpi sarvapratyāhṛteṃdriyaḥ

Translation

Stets dem Prāṇāyāma hingegeben, in Meditation versenkt und die Sinne bezwingend; von Almosen lebend, Gelübde wahrend, mit allen Sinnen zurückgezogen—so ist der disziplinierte Übende.

Word by Word

• प्राणायामपरः: devoted to breath-control
• प्राणायामपरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणायाम + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी/विषय-तत्पुरुष (प्राणायामे परः = devoted to prāṇāyāma)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• ध्यानवान्: meditative
• ध्यानवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यानवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विजितेन्द्रियः: having conquered the senses
• विजितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + जि (धातु) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle) ‘विजित’ + षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विजितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य)

• भैक्ष्यभक्षी: living on alms
• भैक्ष्यभक्षी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैक्ष्य + भक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भैक्ष्यस्य भक्षी = one who eats alms-food)

• व्रती: vowed/observant
• व्रती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: also/even)

• सर्वप्रत्याहृतेन्द्रियः: with all senses withdrawn
• सर्वप्रत्याहृतेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + प्रति + आ + हृ (धातु) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय ‘प्रत्याहृत’ + षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रत्याहृतानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य); ‘सर्व’ उपपद-विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic in Prabhāsa sits in meditation near a quiet shrine or coastal grove: steady posture, controlled breath, senses withdrawn; a begging bowl indicates bhikṣā-vṛtti and vrata discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Prāṇāyāma
• Dhyāna
• Pratyāhāra
• Vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner mastery—breath, senses, and vows—forms the foundation of genuine spiritual life in a sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a field where yogic restraint and vrata enhance the kṣetra’s spiritual fruits.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice prāṇāyāma and meditation, live on bhikṣā (alms), keep vows, and withdraw the senses (pratyāhāra).