Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40
Devanagari script
मृदुत्वं सेव्यमानास्तु सिंहशार्दूलकुंजराः । यथा यान्ति तथा प्राणो वश्यो भवति साधितः
Transliteration
mṛdutvaṃ sevyamānāstu siṃhaśārdūlakuṃjarāḥ | yathā yānti tathā prāṇo vaśyo bhavati sādhitaḥ
Translation
正如狮子、猛虎与大象在驯养调教之下变得温顺，如是，气（prāṇa）若被如法调伏，亦将变得可控可御。
Word by Word
मृदुत्वम्gentleness, softness
मृदुत्वम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमृदुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘सेव्यमानाः’ इत्यस्य कर्म
सेव्यमानाःbeing served/treated
सेव्यमानाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootसेव् (धातु) → सेव्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘being served/being attended’
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)
सिंह-शार्दूल-कुञ्जराःlions, tigers, and elephants
सिंह-शार्दूल-कुञ्जराः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कुञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formइतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
यथाjust as
यथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Correlative/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as, just as)
यान्तिthey go/come to be
यान्ति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
तथाso, likewise
तथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Correlative/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formतदनुरूप/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (so, in that way)
प्राणःbreath, vital air
प्राणः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वश्यःcontrollable, obedient
वश्यः:
Visheshana (Subject complement/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्राणः’ इति विशेषणम्
भवतिbecomes
भवति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
साधितःdisciplined, mastered
साधितः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसाध् (धातु) → साधित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्राणः’ इति विशेषणम् (disciplined/controlled)
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A yogin calmly seated while stylized lion, tiger, and elephant bow or sit peacefully nearby, symbolizing prāṇa subdued by practice; the breath shown as a controlled ribbon of air.
FAQs
Prāṇa can be mastered through steady training, just as even powerful animals become gentle under proper discipline.
No tīrtha is referenced; the verse uses a practical metaphor for yogic control.
The implied prescription is consistent practice and disciplined training of the breath (prāṇa-sādhana).