Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

स्वदेहदण्डनैर्युक्ता रात्रौ वीरासने स्थिताः । दंडिनस्ते समाख्याताः सर्वमेतत्तवोदितम्

Transliteration

svadehadaṇḍanairyuktā rātrau vīrāsane sthitāḥ | daṃḍinaste samākhyātāḥ sarvametattavoditam

Translation

S’exerçant à l’ascèse sur leur propre corps et demeurant la nuit assis dans la posture du vīrāsana, on les appelle Daṇḍins. Tout cela, tu l’as proclamé.

Word by Word

• sva-deha-daṇḍanaiḥ: with self-body mortifications
• sva-deha-daṇḍanaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + daṇḍana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘स्वदेहदण्डन’ = self-body-mortification/penance

• yuktāḥ: endowed (with)
• yuktāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; ‘युक्त’ = endowed/engaged

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• vīra-āsane: in the vīrāsana posture
• vīra-āsane: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘vīrāsana’ (a yogic posture)

• sthitāḥ: remaining (seated)
• sthitāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘standing/sitting, stationed’

• daṇḍinaḥ: staff-bearers/ascetics with a staff
• daṇḍinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• samākhyātāḥ: are called/are designated
• samākhyātāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√khyā (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘are called/are declared’

• sarvam: all (this)
• sarvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समस्तवाचक

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tava: to you/of you
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• uditam: has been stated
• uditam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√i (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘said/uttered’

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, with an internal address ‘tava’ indicating prior instruction in dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night in Prabhāsa: a Daṇḍin sits unwavering in vīrāsana, spine erect, eyes half-closed; the body shows disciplined austerity; moonlight and temple lamps frame the vigil.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• vīrāsana
• Daṇḍin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast bodily discipline and night-long vigilance are praised as marks of serious sādhana in a holy kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, depicted as a center where rigorous yogic and ascetic disciplines are maintained.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Remaining in vīrāsana at night and undertaking self-discipline (tapas) as a recognized ascetic regimen.