Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

कुर्याद्यथोक्तमप्येकं प्राणायामं नरोत्तमः । यस्तेन विहितो नूनं षडंगो योग उत्तमः

Transliteration

kuryādyathoktamapyekaṃ prāṇāyāmaṃ narottamaḥ | yastena vihito nūnaṃ ṣaḍaṃgo yoga uttamaḥ

Translation

โอ้บุรุษผู้ประเสริฐ แม้ทำปราณายามเพียงครั้งเดียวตามที่บัญญัติไว้ ก็ด้วยสิ่งนั้นเองย่อมสำเร็จโยคะอันประเสริฐที่มีหกองค์โดยแน่นอน

Word by Word

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष? (न), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person) एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• उक्तम्: stated
• उक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राणायामम्: breath-control (prāṇāyāma)
• प्राणायामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्राणानाम् आयामः)

• नर: man
• नर: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद

• उत्तमः: the best man
• उत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘नरः उत्तमः’ = नरोत्तमः

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विहितः: prescribed
• विहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) + क्त → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘prescribed/ordained’

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverb)

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, समासपूर्वपद

• अङ्गः: six-limbed
• अङ्गः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु/तत्पुरुषसदृशः ‘षडङ्गः’ = ‘having six limbs’

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उत्तमः: excellent
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Viṣṇu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) / Maṇikarṇikā context

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed as ‘naroत्तम’ within discourse; broader listener is the muni audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin seated on the ghāṭa steps at dawn performs prāṇāyāma; the Gaṅgā mist rises; subtle iconography of six limbs (restraint, observance, posture, breath, withdrawal, concentration) appears as symbolic motifs around him.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Correctly performed practice—even if minimal—can yield complete spiritual integration when supported by sacred context and right method.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage is in praise of Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī, where practices are said to become highly efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāṇāyāma performed ‘as instructed’ (yathokta), highlighting disciplined method.