Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

एते पंच यमाः प्रोक्ताः शृण्वेषामपि लक्षणम् । आत्मवत्सर्वभूतेषु यो हिताय प्रवर्तते

Transliteration

ete paṃca yamāḥ proktāḥ śṛṇveṣāmapi lakṣaṇam | ātmavatsarvabhūteṣu yo hitāya pravartate

Translation

ഇവ അഞ്ചു യമങ്ങളായി പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു; ഇനി അവയുടെ ലക്ഷണങ്ങളും കേൾക്കുക. എല്ലാ ജീവികളിലും ആത്മവത് ഭാവം കണ്ട് അവരുടെ ഹിതത്തിനായി പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നവൻ—

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; प्रथमा-बहुवचनार्थे यमान् विशेषयति (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• यमाः: restraints (yamas)
• यमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रोक्ताः: have been declared
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः (said/declared)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धे (of these)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे (also/even)

• लक्षणम्: characteristic/definition
• लक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; श्रवणस्य कर्म (object of hearing)

• आत्मवत्: as oneself
• आत्मवत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् तद्धितान्त; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (like oneself)

• सर्वभूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; अधिकरणे (in all beings)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• हिताय: for the good (of)
• हिताय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for welfare)

• प्रवर्तते: acts/engages
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Nārada (continuing instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate ascetic distributes water/food to humans and animals alike, with a visual echo showing the same ‘self’ reflected in others—suggesting ātmavat-bhāva; the five yamas appear as a garland of five flowers around the figure.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Yamas
• All beings (sarvabhūta)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True restraint begins with empathy—seeing all beings as oneself and acting for their good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse defines ethical conduct central to yoga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A moral prescription: cultivate conduct aimed at the welfare of all beings, which characterizes the yamas (especially ahiṃsā).