Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

एवं संसाध्य नियमान्संयमांश्च विचक्षणः । प्राणायामाय संदध्यान्नान्यथा योगसाधकः

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃsādhya niyamānsaṃyamāṃśca vicakṣaṇaḥ | prāṇāyāmāya saṃdadhyānnānyathā yogasādhakaḥ

Translation

Demikianlah, setelah menyempurnakan niyama dan segala pengekangan diri dengan tepat, pencari yang arif hendaklah menumpukan diri kepada prāṇāyāma; bagi yang ingin mencapai yoga, tiada jalan lain.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• संसाध्य: having accomplished
• संसाध्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + साध् (धातु) → संसाध्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having accomplished)

• नियमान्: observances, restraints (niyamas)
• नियमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• संयमान्: controls, disciplines (saṃyamas)
• संयमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• विचक्षणः: a discerning person
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• प्राणायामाय: for prāṇāyāma (breath-control)
• प्राणायामाय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative: for the sake of)

• संदध्यात्: should apply/engage (himself)
• संदध्यात्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + धा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारान्तरवाचक (adverb: otherwise)

• योगसाधकः: a practitioner of yoga
• योगसाधकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘योगं साधयति’ इति (agent noun)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A practitioner in a clean hermitage performs seated breath practice, but the foreground shows symbols of niyama: water pot (śauca), simple food (mitāhāra), scripture (svādhyāya), and a guru’s staff indicating guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Prāṇāyāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prāṇāyāma should be undertaken only after establishing yama and niyama; ethical discipline is the gateway to yoga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; this is a practice-oriented instruction within purāṇic dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes prāṇāyāma as the next step, contingent upon prior completion of restraints and observances.