Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

व्यसनार्णवमत्येति जलयानैरिवार्णवम् । यामाश्रित्येंद्रियारातीन्दुर्जयानितराश्रयैः

Transliteration

vyasanārṇavamatyeti jalayānairivārṇavam | yāmāśrityeṃdriyārātīndurjayānitarāśrayaiḥ

Translation

यथा जलयानैः समुद्रमतिक्रम्य पारं गच्छति जनः, तथा तामाश्रित्य व्यसनार्णवं तरति; यया इन्द्रियारयः दुर्जयाः सन्तोऽपि पराजीयन्ते।

Word by Word

• vyasana-arṇavam: the ocean of calamity
• vyasana-arṇavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyasana (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यसनस्य अर्णवः)

• atyeti: crosses over, surpasses
• atyeti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ati + i (इ धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः ‘अति-’

• jala-yānaiḥ: by watercraft/boats
• jala-yānaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + yāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जलेन यानम्)

• iva: like, as if
• iva: Sambandha (Comparative/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• arṇavam: the ocean
• arṇavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• yām: whom
• yām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yā (यद्-प्रातिपदिक, स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• āśritya: having taken refuge in
• āśritya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-śri (श्रि धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्गः ‘आ-’

• indriya-arātīn: enemies of the senses
• indriya-arātīn: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + arāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (इन्द्रियाणां अरातयः)

• durjayān: hard to conquer
• durjayān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durjaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to indriyārātīn)

• itara-āśrayaiḥ: by other supports/refuges
• itara-āśrayaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (इतरः आश्रयः यस्य) = ‘with other refuges’

Speaker

Daityendra/Vajrāṅga (continued reflection; implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic ocean of dark waves labeled ‘vyasana/saṃsāra’; a small boat of ‘āśraya/śaraṇa’ carries a devotee while personified senses (as armed foes) are subdued by a radiant feminine protective presence.

Characters & Entities

• Indriyas (senses)
• Gṛheśvarī/Wife (implied ‘her’)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right refuge and supportive dharmic companionship aid self-mastery and help one transcend misfortune.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced; the verse uses a universal ocean-crossing metaphor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it teaches through analogy and ethical psychology (sense-conquest).