Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अध्युवास स तावंति संयतेंद्रियमानसः । परं न मनसः स्थैर्यं क्वापि प्रापि च तेन वै

Transliteration

adhyuvāsa sa tāvaṃti saṃyateṃdriyamānasaḥ | paraṃ na manasaḥ sthairyaṃ kvāpi prāpi ca tena vai

Translation

Il demeura en tant de lieux saints, les sens et l’esprit maîtrisés; pourtant, nulle part il n’obtint la parfaite stabilité du mental.

Word by Word

• अध्युवास: (he) dwelt/abode
• अध्युवास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-√वस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तावन्ति: so many; that many
• तावन्ति: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc., 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• संयत-इन्द्रिय-मानसः: whose senses and mind were restrained
• संयत-इन्द्रिय-मानसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय-भावः: ‘संयते इन्द्रिये च मानसे च यस्य’)

• परम्: however; but
• परम्: Sambandha/Avyaya (Modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverbial use)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्थैर्यम्: steadiness; stability
• स्थैर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc., 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्वापि: somewhere; anywhere
• क्वापि: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘somewhere/anywhere’)

• प्रापि: (he) obtained; reached
• प्रापि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); छान्दस/आर्ष-रूप (irregular perfect form)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तेन: by that; thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone pilgrim-ascetic, travel-worn, seated in meditation amid a montage of many tirthas; despite disciplined posture, the mind appears unsettled—wind-tossed cloth, restless gaze—signifying lack of inner steadiness.

Characters & Entities

• Damana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External disciplines and travel are valuable, but true peace requires the specific grace and right locus of realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named in this verse; it builds anticipation for the place where steadiness is finally attained.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sense-restraint (indriya-saṃyama) and mental discipline are implied; no discrete ritual is listed.