Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

रजस्तमश्च शोध्यंते सत्त्वेनैव मुमुक्षुभिः । तस्मात्कामं च क्रोधं च इंद्रियाणां प्रवर्तनम्

Transliteration

rajastamaśca śodhyaṃte sattvenaiva mumukṣubhiḥ | tasmātkāmaṃ ca krodhaṃ ca iṃdriyāṇāṃ pravartanam

Translation

Seekers of liberation purify rajas and tamas only through sattva. Therefore the senses’ stirring toward desire and anger should be restrained and refined.

Word by Word

• rajas: rajas
• rajas: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tamas: tamas
• tamas: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• śodhyante: are purified
• śodhyante: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śudh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• sattvena: by sattva
• sattvena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• eva: alone; indeed
• eva: Adverbial (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण निपात

• mumukṣubhiḥ: by seekers of liberation
• mumukṣubhiḥ: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mumukṣu (कृदन्त/इच्छार्थक, √muc)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; इच्छार्थक-प्रातिपदिक (desiderative agent noun)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Adverbial (निपात/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात् (therefore)

• kāmam: desire
• kāmam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• indriyāṇām: of the senses
• indriyāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• pravartanam: activation; incitement
• pravartanam: Predicate/Result (समानााधिकरण/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pravartana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker at a Śiva shrine holds a lamp; two shadow-figures labeled kāma and krodha tug at the senses, while a white luminous figure (sattva) steadies the mind; the senses are shown as gates being guarded.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

To move toward mokṣa, cultivate sattva so that desire and anger no longer drive the senses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy place is mentioned; the teaching is ethical-psychological.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; it recommends guṇa-purification and restraint as core sādhana.