Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

व्यसनार्णवमत्येति जलयानैरिवार्णवम् । यामाश्रित्येंद्रियारातीन्दुर्जयानितराश्रयैः

Transliteration

vyasanārṇavamatyeti jalayānairivārṇavam | yāmāśrityeṃdriyārātīndurjayānitarāśrayaiḥ

Translation

جس طرح کشتیوں کے سہارے سمندر پار کیا جاتا ہے، اسی طرح اُس کی پناہ لے کر مصیبتوں کے سمندر سے پار ہوا جاتا ہے؛ وہی ہے جس کے ذریعے حواس کی صورت میں دشمن—جو دوسرے سہاروں سے دشوار الفتح ہیں—مغلوب ہوتے ہیں۔

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).