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

ਉਹ ਨਿਯਮਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਡੋਲ ਸੀ, ਆਹਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੰਯਮੀ ਸੀ, ਅਤੇ ਸਭ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਹਿਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਤ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਸੀ। ਵਰਖਾ ਰੁੱਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਹ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਆਕਾਸ਼ ਹੇਠ ਵੱਸਦਾ, ਅਤੇ ਹੇਮੰਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਜਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਟਿਕਿਆ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ।

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.