Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

व्रतोपवाससंयुक्तः शांतात्मा विजितेंद्रियः । ब्रह्मचारी सदा ध्यानी नरकं याति नो नरः

Transliteration

vratopavāsasaṃyuktaḥ śāṃtātmā vijiteṃdriyaḥ | brahmacārī sadā dhyānī narakaṃ yāti no naraḥ

Translation

വ്രത-ഉപവാസങ്ങളിൽ യുക്തനായി, ശാന്തചിത്തനായി, ഇന്ദ്രിയജയിയായി, ബ്രഹ്മചര്യത്തിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട് സദാ ധ്യാനനിഷ്ഠനായ മനുഷ്യൻ നരകത്തിലേക്കു പോകുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• व्रतोपवाससंयुक्तः: endowed with vows and fasting
• व्रतोपवाससंयुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (व्रत + उपवास) ततः तत्पुरुषार्थे संयुक्तः (व्रतोपवासैः संयुक्तः = endowed with vows and fasting)

• शान्तात्मा: calm-minded
• शान्तात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (शान्तः आत्मा यस्य = calm-souled)

• विजितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (senses conquered)
• विजितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रियाणि विजितानि यस्य = one who has conquered the senses)

• ब्रह्मचारी: celibate student; one who practices brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्यिन्/ब्रह्मचारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• ध्यानी: meditator
• ध्यानी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• उ: indeed (emphatic)
• उ: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पदपूरण/अनुनासिक-निपात (expletive/emphatic particle)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Yama (contextual, continuing instruction in this passage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience within the discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm ascetic sits in meditation under a tree near a shrine; a simple water pot and rosary lie beside him; his senses are depicted as subdued animals; Yama’s noose hangs slack, powerless.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner restraint—vows, fasting, sense-mastery, and meditation—purifies karma and prevents descent to naraka.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights personal sādhana within the tīrtha-māhātmya setting rather than naming a particular pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observance of vrata (vows), upavāsa (fasting), brahmacarya, and regular dhyāna.