Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

हठान्निरुद्धप्राणोयं रोमकूपेषु निःसरेत् । देहंविदारयत्येष कुष्ठादिजनयत्यपि

Transliteration

haṭhānniruddhaprāṇoyaṃ romakūpeṣu niḥsaret | dehaṃvidārayatyeṣa kuṣṭhādijanayatyapi

Translation

பிராணனை வலுக்கட்டாயமாக அடக்கினால், அது ரோமகூபங்களின் வழியே பீறிட்டு வெளியேறலாம். இது உடலைப் பிளந்து, குஷ்டம் போன்ற நோய்களையும் உண்டாக்கும்.

Word by Word

• हठात्: forcibly
• हठात्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/प्रकारे (abl. sg., ‘by force/forcibly’)

• निरुद्ध-प्राणः: the restrained breath
• निरुद्ध-प्राणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि + रुध् (धातु) → निरुद्ध (कृदन्त) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-सम्भवः, प्रायः तत्पुरुषः (‘restrained prāṇa’) (masc. nom. sg.)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun: this)

• रोम-कूपेषु: in the hair-pores
• रोम-कूपेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोम (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (loc. pl., ‘in hair-pores’)

• निःसरेत्: should exit
• निःसरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस् + सृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should flow out/exit)

• देहम्: the body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (masc. acc. sg.)

• विदारयति: tears apart
• विदारयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + दृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (tears/rends)

• एषः: this (prāṇa)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun: this)

• कुष्ठ-आदि: leprosy and the like
• कुष्ठ-आदि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘leprosy etc.’) (neut. acc. sg.)

• जनयति: produces
• जनयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (produces)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-शब्दः (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary tableau: a strained yogin with tense posture; prāṇa depicted as turbulent wind bursting outward; a compassionate teacher intervenes, restoring calm.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual discipline must be intelligent and gradual; forceful breath-restraint harms the body and obstructs dharmic progress.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Kāśī), but the verse itself is a universal caution rather than a site-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition/caution: do not restrain prāṇa violently; practice in a controlled, progressive manner.