Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

शुचौ देशे समासीनो यथावत्कल्पितासनः । जितेंद्रियो जितप्राणश्चिंतयेच्छिवमव्ययम्

Transliteration

śucau deśe samāsīno yathāvatkalpitāsanaḥ | jiteṃdriyo jitaprāṇaściṃtayecchivamavyayam

Translation

ശുചിയായ സ്ഥലത്ത് ഇരുന്ന്, വിധിപൂർവ്വം ആസനം ഒരുക്കി, ഇന്ദ്രിയജയം നേടി പ്രാണനെ നിയന്ത്രിച്ച്, അവ്യയനായ ശിവനെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• शुचौ: in a pure
• शुचौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying देशे)

• देशे: place
• देशे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• समासीनः: seated
• समासीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √सद् (धातु) ; क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past participle, adjectival), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—उपविष्टः (seated)

• यथावत्: properly
• यथावत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (properly)

• कल्पित-आसनः: having a prepared seat/posture
• कल्पित-आसनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्पित(√कॢप् धातु, क्त) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कल्पितम् आसनं यस्य)

• जित-इन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जित-इन्द्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित(√जि धातु, क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (इन्द्रियाणि जितानि येन)

• जित-प्राणः: one who has controlled the breath
• जित-प्राणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित(√जि धातु, क्त) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्राणः जितः येन)

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विध्यर्थः (should contemplate)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शिवम्)

Speaker

Ṛṣabha (continuing the instruction of the kavaca practice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śucideśa (purified practice-space)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A practitioner seated on a neatly arranged āsana in a spotless space, spine erect, eyes half-closed, breath calm; the thought of ‘avyaya Śiva’ visualized as a steady inner light or liṅga-form.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Āsana (seat)
• Indriya-nigraha
• Prāṇa-jaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual power arises from purity and self-mastery; contemplation of imperishable Śiva is the core that empowers protective recitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse stresses inner and outer cleanliness as the ‘site’ for practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare a proper seat in a clean place, practice sense-control and breath-discipline, and meditate on Śiva before/along with kavaca recitation.