Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

यमश्च नियमश्चैव प्राणायामस्तृतीयकः । प्रत्याहारो धारणा च ध्येयं ध्यानं च सप्तमम्

Transliteration

yamaśca niyamaścaiva prāṇāyāmastṛtīyakaḥ | pratyāhāro dhāraṇā ca dhyeyaṃ dhyānaṃ ca saptamam

Translation

持戒（Yama）与净行（Niyama）为先；调息（Prāṇāyāma）为第三。继而为摄根（Pratyāhāra）与执持（Dhāraṇā）；所缘（Dhyeya，所选观想之境）与禅定（Dhyāna）为第七。

Word by Word

• यमः: restraint (yama)
• यमः: Karta (कर्ता/Item in enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• नियमः: observance (niyama)
• नियमः: Karta (कर्ता/Item in enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle), अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• प्राणायामः: breath-control (prāṇāyāma)
• प्राणायामः: Karta (कर्ता/Item in enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तृतीयकः: the third
• तृतीयकः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• प्रत्याहारः: withdrawal (of senses)
• प्रत्याहारः: Karta (कर्ता/Item in enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-आ-हृ (धातु) → प्रत्याहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• धारणा: concentration; holding
• धारणा: Karta (कर्ता/Item in enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• ध्येयम्: the object to be meditated upon
• ध्येयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्येय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Item in enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• सप्तमम्: the seventh
• सप्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequential tableau of yogic limbs: ethical living, breath control, withdrawal, concentration on a sacred icon, and deep meditation.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Yoga
• Yama
• Niyama
• Prāṇāyāma
• Pratyāhāra
• Dhāraṇā
• Dhyeya
• Dhyāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Yoga progresses in an ordered way—from ethical foundations to breath, sense-control, concentration, and meditation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this verse enumerates yogic limbs rather than praising a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A structured yogic regimen is prescribed: yama, niyama, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyeya, and dhyāna.