Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

नानालिंगधरा नित्यं विष्णुलोकाभिकांक्षिणः । अभ्यस्यंति परं योगं मुक्तात्मानो जितेंद्रियाः

Transliteration

nānāliṃgadharā nityaṃ viṣṇulokābhikāṃkṣiṇaḥ | abhyasyaṃti paraṃ yogaṃ muktātmāno jiteṃdriyāḥ

Translation

नाना प्रकारची लिंगचिन्हे धारण करणारे, सदैव विष्णुलोकाची आकांक्षा बाळगणारे, मुक्तात्मा व जितेंद्रिय जन निरंतर परम योगाचा अभ्यास करतात.

Word by Word

• nānā-liṅga-dharāḥ: wearers of various marks/forms
• nānā-liṅga-dharāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: नानालिङ्गं धरन्ति इति

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): नित्यं = सदा

• viṣṇu-loka-abhikāṃkṣiṇaḥ: desiring Vishnu’s world
• viṣṇu-loka-abhikāṃkṣiṇaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + abhikāṃkṣin (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, अभि+काङ्क्ष् धातु, णिनि/शतृ-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (नानालिङ्गधराः इति); ‘अभिकाङ्क्षिन्’ = इच्छुक/कामयमान

• abhyasyanti: they practice
• abhyasyanti: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• param: supreme
• param: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (योगम् इति)

• yogam: yoga
• yogam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• muktātmānaḥ: those with liberated selves
• muktātmānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukta (कृदन्त, मुच् धातु, क्त) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: मुक्तः आत्मा येषाम् (those whose self is liberated)

• jita-indriyāḥ: having conquered the senses
• jita-indriyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (कृदन्त, जि धातु, क्त) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम्

Speaker

Agastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panorama of ascetics with varied Vaiṣṇava insignia—tilakas, mālās, ochre/white garments—meditating in groves and ghāṭs; their senses subdued, minds fixed on Viṣṇu-loka.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇuloka
• Yogins/Siddhas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is supported by mastery of the senses and steady yogic practice, oriented toward devotion and the goal of Viṣṇu’s realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā’s holy sphere, portrayed as a dwelling-place of advanced practitioners aiming for Viṣṇuloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continual practice of para-yoga (supreme yoga) with sense-restraint; no specific dāna/snānā detail is stated in this verse.