Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

पुरा किल मुनिर्धीरो रैभ्यो नाम तपोधनः । चचार हिमवत्पार्श्वे निराहारो जितेन्द्रियः

Transliteration

purā kila munirdhīro raibhyo nāma tapodhanaḥ | cacāra himavatpārśve nirāhāro jitendriyaḥ

Translation

ପୁରାକାଳରେ ରୈଭ୍ୟ ନାମକ ଧୀର ମୁନି ଥିଲେ, ତପୋଧନରେ ସମୃଦ୍ଧ। ସେ ହିମାଳୟ ପାର୍ଶ୍ୱରେ ନିରାହାର ରହି, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟଜୟୀ ହୋଇ ବିଚରଣ କରୁଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘formerly’)

• kila: indeed/it is said
• kila: Nipāta (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; reportative/emphatic)

• muniḥ: a sage
• muniḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• dhīraḥ: steadfast
• dhīraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—muniḥ

• raibhyaḥ: Raibhya
• raibhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raibhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ऋषि-नाम

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Nāmadhāraṇa (Naming/नाम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् निपात-प्रयोगः; नामनिर्देशार्थ (particle: ‘by name’)

• tapodhanaḥ: one whose wealth is austerity
• tapodhanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः—‘तपो धनं यस्य सः’

• cacāra: wandered
• cacāra: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (चर्, धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• himavatpārśve: on the side of Himavat
• himavatpārśve: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: himavat + pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (himavataḥ pārśvam)

• nirāhāraḥ: without food
• nirāhāraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-निषेधार्थ विशेषण—‘आहाररहितः’

• jitendriyaḥ: one who has conquered the senses
• jitendriyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः—‘जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येन सः’

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narration style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lean, radiant sage Raibhya walks along a Himalayan slope, matted hair and bark-garments, eyes lowered in restraint; snow peaks and pine forests surround him; silence dominates.

Characters & Entities

• Raibhya (sage)
• Himavat (Himālaya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity, fasting, and sense-control are presented as the foundations of spiritual power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative context supports the māhātmya of nearby kuṇḍas (Yoginīkuṇḍa/Urvaśīkuṇḍa), though this verse itself shifts to an illustrative legend.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it describes the sage’s discipline (nirāhāra, jitendriya).