Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

योगनिद्रा यथा त्यक्ता हरिणा मुनिसत्तम । तथा लोकोपकाराय भवानपि परित्यज

Transliteration

yoganidrā yathā tyaktā hariṇā munisattama | tathā lokopakārāya bhavānapi parityaja

Translation

Ô le meilleur des sages, de même que Hari a délaissé son sommeil yogique, de même toi aussi, pour le bien du monde, renonce-y.

Word by Word

• योगनिद्रा: yoga-sleep
• योगनिद्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + निद्रा (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य निद्रा)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• त्यक्ता: abandoned
• त्यक्ता: Karta-pravacaniya/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु) + क्त → त्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि; ‘योगनिद्रा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हरिणा: by Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिणा: Kartr (Agent in passive sense/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सत्तमः मुनिः)

• तथा: so likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तदनुरूप/एवमेव-अर्थक-अव्यय (so/in the same way)

• लोकोपकाराय: for the welfare of the world
• लोकोपकाराय: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + उपकार (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य उपकारः)

• भवान्: you (honored)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोग (honorific)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• परित्यज: abandon
• परित्यज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Contextual (instructional voice within the narrative; likely Nārada-related passage in Sūta’s narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni-sattama (best of sages) addressed; broader audience includes Pāṇḍava in surrounding context

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage in meditative repose is addressed by a divine messenger; above, Hari is depicted rising from yoganidrā (cosmic couch imagery suggested), symbolizing the call to action for the world’s good.

Characters & Entities

• Hari

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings renounce personal repose when dharma calls; service to the world (lokopakāra) is a sacred duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse emphasizes dharmic motivation rather than naming a tirtha; the surrounding Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context later moves toward specific sthala-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; it is an ethical injunction to renounce yogic withdrawal for public good.