Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

कालसाध्वसतोब्रह्मा प्राणायामं सदाचरेत् । योगिनः सिद्धिमापन्नाः सम्यक्प्राणनियंत्रणात्

Transliteration

kālasādhvasatobrahmā prāṇāyāmaṃ sadācaret | yoginaḥ siddhimāpannāḥ samyakprāṇaniyaṃtraṇāt

Translation

梵天畏惧时之威力，恒常修习调息（prāṇāyāma）。瑜伽行者以如法摄持气息（prāṇa）而得成就（siddhi）。

Word by Word

• कालसाध्वसतः: of fear of time
• कालसाध्वसतः: Sambandha (Genitive—of Brahmā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + साध्वस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य साध्वसम् = time-fear)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adverbial (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• आचरेत्: should practice
• आचरेत्: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सिद्धिम्: perfection/accomplishment
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आपन्नाः: having attained
• आपन्नाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of yoginaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + पद् (धातु) → आपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (योगिनः) विशेषणम्

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Adverbial (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (properly, completely)

• प्राणनियंत्रणात्: from control of the breath
• प्राणनियंत्रणात्: Apadana (Cause/Source—ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + नियन्त्रण (प्रातिपदिक; नि + यम् धातु से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्राणस्य नियन्त्रणम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā seated in yogic composure practicing prāṇāyāma, with a subtle looming Kāla behind; nearby, accomplished yogins radiate calm power (siddhi) without display.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Kāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic beings value prāṇāyāma; disciplined prāṇa-control is presented as a direct means to yogic accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context frames these teachings as part of Kāśī’s liberating dharma, though no single tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular practice of prāṇāyāma and proper regulation of prāṇa as a sustained discipline.