Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

श्रमेण त्वं समायुक्तो श्वासोच्छ्वासपरायणः । जपन्नपि महाभक्त्या दृश्यसे त्वं मया सदा

Transliteration

śrameṇa tvaṃ samāyukto śvāsocchvāsaparāyaṇaḥ | japannapi mahābhaktyā dṛśyase tvaṃ mayā sadā

Translation

ถึงกระนั้น พระองค์ปรากฏแก่ข้าพเจ้าราวกับทรงเพียรพยายาม ตั้งมั่นในลมหายใจเข้าออก และด้วยมหาภักติ แม้ขณะสวดจปะ พระองค์ก็ทรงปรากฏแก่ข้าพเจ้าเสมอ

Word by Word

• श्रमेण: with exertion
• श्रमेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे ‘with/through exertion’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• समायुक्तः: engaged, endowed
• समायुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam- (उपसर्ग) + ā- (उपसर्ग) + √yuj (युज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) = past passive participle; ‘joined/engaged’

• श्वासोच्छ्वासपरायणः: absorbed in breathing in and out
• श्वासोच्छ्वासपरायणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śvāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + ucchvāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (श्वास-उच्छ्वासेषु परायणः) = ‘intent on inhalation and exhalation’

• जपन्: reciting
• जपन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) = present active participle; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘reciting’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद सूचक अव्यय (particle) = ‘even/also’

• महाभक्त्या: with great devotion
• महाभक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती भक्तिः) = ‘with great devotion’

• दृश्यसे: are seen, appear
• दृश्यसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः = ‘you are seen/appear’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘by me’ (agent of passive perception)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time) = ‘always’

Speaker

Pārvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The observer beholds the Lord as if engaged in effort: subtle depiction of rhythmic breath, rosary in hand, eyes half-closed, the devotee watching in astonished reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra practice is portrayed as wholehearted and embodied—devotion integrates breath, attention, and repetition.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not specify a named tīrtha; it belongs to a Tīrthamāhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa is explicitly mentioned; breath-awareness is implied through the focus on inhalation and exhalation.