Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

नियतो नियताहारः सर्वभूतहिते रतः । वर्षास्वाकाशवासी च हेमंते सलिलाशयः

Transliteration

niyato niyatāhāraḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ | varṣāsvākāśavāsī ca hemaṃte salilāśayaḥ

Translation

അദ്ദേഹം നിയതനും നിയതാഹാരിയും ആയിരുന്നു; സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങളുടെ ഹിതത്തിൽ നിരതൻ. വർഷകാലത്ത് തുറന്ന ആകാശത്തിൻ കീഴിൽ വസിച്ചു; ഹേമന്തത്തിൽ ജലത്തിൽ തന്നെ പാർത്തു।

Word by Word

• नियतः: disciplined, restrained
• नियतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine nominative singular; adjective)

• नियताहारः: one with regulated diet
• नियताहारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत + आहार (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (niyata-āhāra: regulated food/intake)

• सर्वभूतहिते: in the good of all beings
• सर्वभूतहिते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत + हित (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (sarva-bhūta-hita) ‘in the welfare of all beings’

• रतः: devoted, engaged
• रतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine nominative singular; ‘engaged/devoted’)

• वर्षासु: in the rainy season
• वर्षासु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘in the rains’

• आकाशवासी: dwelling in the open/sky
• आकाशवासी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकाश + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (ākāśa-vāsin: dwelling in the sky/open)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः (conjunction ‘and’)

• हेमन्ते: in winter
• हेमन्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in winter’

• सलिलाशयः: dwelling in water
• सलिलाशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सलिल + आशय (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (salila-āśaya: having water as abode; staying in water)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija-śreṣṭhas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha practices seasonal austerities: standing beneath monsoon clouds without shelter, then immersed in a cold water body during winter, serene and unwavering, surrounded by forest life unharmed.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tapas combines self-discipline with compassion and universal welfare (sarvabhūta-hita).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Arbuda, by portraying the ascetic power that will sanctify the region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ascetic observances are described: regulated diet, open-sky living in rains, and water-penance in winter.