Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

क्रमेणाभ्यासयोगेन भिन्नांश्चक्रे स चैकतः । प्राणापानव्यानोदानसमानाख्यांश्च मारुतान्

Transliteration

krameṇābhyāsayogena bhinnāṃścakre sa caikataḥ | prāṇāpānavyānodānasamānākhyāṃśca mārutān

Translation

En bon ordre, par la discipline d’une pratique répétée, il fit que les forces divisées deviennent une seule ; et il maîtrisa les souffles vitaux nommés prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna et samāna.

Word by Word

• क्रमेण: gradually, in order
• क्रमेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘क्रमेण’ = क्रमशः

• अभ्यासयोगेन: by the discipline of practice
• अभ्यासयोगेन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अभ्यासस्य योगः)

• भिन्नान्: separated, divided
• भिन्नान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (धातु) → भिन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भिन्न (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• चक्रे: made, fashioned
• चक्रे: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• सः: he
• सः: Kartā (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एकतः: in one place / on one side
• एकतः: Deśa/Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘एकतः’ = एकस्मिन् पक्षे/एकत्र

• प्राण: prāṇa (in-breath)
• प्राण: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• अपान: apāna (downward breath)
• अपान: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• व्यान: vyāna (pervading breath)
• व्यान: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• उदान: udāna (upward breath)
• उदान: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• समान: samāna (equalizing breath)
• समान: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• आख्यान्: named/called
• आख्यान्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; ‘आख्या’ = नाम/संज्ञा, विशेषणार्थे ‘आख्य’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• मारुतान्: winds; vital airs
• मारुतान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (contextual, within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Through gradual discipline of repeated practice, the practitioner makes divided forces one and masters the five vital airs—prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, samāna—suggesting intense tapas behind daitya power.

Characters & Entities

• Yoga
• Prāṇa
• Apāna
• Vyāna
• Udāna
• Samāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even adversarial figures are depicted as gaining power through tapas and yogic mastery—warning that spiritual techniques require dharmic orientation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya uses such episodes to magnify the sacred setting of Prabhāsa where these teachings are recounted.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A yogic discipline is referenced: abhyāsa (repeated practice) and control of the five vāyus (vital airs), though no step-by-step rite is given.