Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

नियमैः संयमैश्चैव शोषयन्नात्मनस्तनुम् । किंचिज्जलाश्रयं गत्वा स्थापयित्वा महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

niyamaiḥ saṃyamaiścaiva śoṣayannātmanastanum | kiṃcijjalāśrayaṃ gatvā sthāpayitvā maheśvaram

Translation

Par des vœux et des austérités, il amaigrissait son corps; puis, se rendant à un refuge au bord des eaux, il y établit Maheśvara (Śiva).

Word by Word

• नियमैः: by observances
• नियमैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• संयमैः: by restraints
• संयमैः: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• शोषयन्: drying / emaciating
• शोषयन्: Karta (Agent participle of implied 'saḥ')
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तनुम्: body
• तनुम्: Karma (Object of 'śoṣayan')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• किंचित्: some / a certain
• किंचित्: Visheshana (Degree/measure)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; परिमाणवाचक (some/a certain)

• जलाश्रयम्: a water-shelter; waterside place
• जलाश्रयम्: Karma (Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गमनस्य कर्म

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• स्थापयित्वा: having installed / having established
• स्थापयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) [णिच् causative: स्थापयति]
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) causative; पूर्वक्रिया

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (Object of 'sthāpayitvā')
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed jalāśraya tīrtha (site of Maheśvara स्थापना)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (assembly of sages, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the edge of a calm water-body, the ascetic sets a Śiva-liṅga on a small altar of stones and earth; he performs simple worship, water offerings, and sits in meditation as the place begins to glow with sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Jalāśraya (waterside sacred spot)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined practice (niyama-saṃyama) joined with Śiva-worship transforms suffering into sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A jalāśraya (waterside holy refuge) within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Installation/establishment of Maheśvara (Śiva-liṅga) and sustained observances (niyama) with self-restraint (saṃyama).