Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

बाह्यानामांतराणां वा विना तं तृणवद्विदुः । इंद्रियाणि निगृह्यैव दुष्टानीति निपीडयेत्

Transliteration

bāhyānāmāṃtarāṇāṃ vā vinā taṃ tṛṇavadviduḥ | iṃdriyāṇi nigṛhyaiva duṣṭānīti nipīḍayet

Translation

Sans maîtriser ce « principe intérieur », l’extérieur comme l’intérieur sont tenus pour de la paille sans valeur. Aussi faut-il contenir les sens et écraser les mauvais — ces puissances sensorielles indociles.

Word by Word

• बाह्यानाम्: of external (things)
• बाह्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjectival genitive)

• अन्तराणाम्: of internal (things)
• अन्तराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: “or”)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय; वियोग/वर्जनार्थ (preposition-like indeclinable: “without”), द्वितीया-योग्य (governs accusative)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• तृणवत्: like grass
• तृणवत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तृण + वत् (प्रातिपदिक; वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (comparative adverb: “like grass”)

• विदुः: they know/consider
• विदुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• इन्द्रियाणि: the senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• निगृह्य: having restrained
• निगृह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): “having restrained”; उपसर्ग: नि

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• दुष्टानि: wicked, unruly
• दुष्टानि: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifies इन्द्रियाणि)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• निपीडयेत्: one should press down/subdue
• निपीडयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पीड् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: नि

Speaker

Unspecified (continuation of the inquiry/teaching thread before 'Bāla uvāca')

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: An inquirer troubled by ignorance and suffering (preceding questions)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seated ascetic restrains the senses as personified horses or serpents; outer objects (garlands, gold, pleasures) lie like straw, while an inner flame/linga glows in the heart-lotus.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worth lies in inner mastery; sense-restraint is essential for dharma and higher realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse teaches a universal discipline applicable to all sacred journeys.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A yogic-ethical prescription is given: restrain (nigraha) and subdue the senses.