Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणामथोद्धृत्य मनसैव निषेधयेत् । यथा लोहेन लोहं च घर्षितं तीक्ष्णतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

indriyāṇāmathoddhṛtya manasaiva niṣedhayet | yathā lohena lohaṃ ca gharṣitaṃ tīkṣṇatāṃ vrajet

Translation

Après avoir contenu les sens, qu’on les réprime par l’esprit seul ; de même que le fer, frotté contre le fer, devient plus tranchant.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रियाणाम्: of the senses
• इन्द्रियाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (neuter; genitive plural)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (indeclinable; then/now)

• उद्धृत्य: having withdrawn/raised up
• उद्धृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्धृत्य (कृदन्त; उत्- + √हृ (धातु) + ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter; instrumental singular)

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• निषेधयेत्: should restrain/prohibit
• निषेधयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√सिध्/√षिध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative; parasmaipada; 3rd person singular)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (Comparison marker/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/यथार्थबोधक (indeclinable; as/just as)

• लोहेन: with iron
• लोहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter; instrumental singular)

• लोहम्: iron (another piece)
• लोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter; accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• घर्षितम्: rubbed, ground
• घर्षितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घर्षित (कृदन्त; √घर्ष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (neuter; nominative/accusative singular; rubbed)

• तीक्ष्णताम्: sharpness
• तीक्ष्णताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीक्ष्णता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine; accusative singular)

• व्रजेत्: would attain/go to
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative; parasmaipada; 3rd person singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa–Māhātmya didactic narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sādhaka seated near a tīrtha, eyes lowered, with senses depicted as restless horses being reined in by the mind; beside him, two iron blades being rubbed, emitting a subtle gleam to symbolize sharpening through practice.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-mastery is achieved by using the mind to restrain the senses, strengthening discipline through repeated practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse teaches yogic method within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sādhanā instruction is given: withdraw and restrain the senses through mental control.