Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

दशकंठशिरश्छेदहेतवे सेतवे नमः । केतवे रामचंद्रस्य मोक्षमार्गैकहेतवे

Transliteration

daśakaṃṭhaśiraśchedahetave setave namaḥ | ketave rāmacaṃdrasya mokṣamārgaikahetave

Translation

سلامٌ على سيتو، سببِ قطع رؤوس دَشَكَنتها (Daśakaṇṭha، رافانا Rāvaṇa). وسلامٌ عليه إذ هو رايةُ راماشاندرا (Rāmacandra) وعلامته، والسببُ الأوحد لطريق الخلاص (موكشا mokṣa).

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; समासपूर्वपद

• कण्ठ: neck/throat
• कण्ठ: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• शिरस्: head
• शिरस्: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• छेद: cutting, severing
• छेद: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• हेतवे: to the cause
• हेतवे: Sampradāna (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (unto/as cause)

• दशकण्ठशिरश्छेदहेतवे: to the cause of cutting off Ravana's heads
• दशकण्ठशिरश्छेदहेतवे: Sampradāna (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + कण्ठ + शिरस् + छेद + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास: ‘दशकण्ठस्य शिरसां छेदस्य हेतुः’ (cause of severing the heads of Daśakaṇṭha=Rāvaṇa); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• सेतवे: to Setu (the bridge)
• सेतवे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation formula/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थक); दत्तिवत् प्रयोगः (obeisance)

• केतवे: to the banner/sign (emblem)
• केतवे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• रामचन्द्रस्य: of Rāmacandra
• रामचन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामचन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• मोक्ष: liberation
• मोक्ष: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• मार्ग: path
• मार्ग: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• एक: sole, single
• एक: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; समासाङ्ग

• हेतवे: to the cause
• हेतवे: Sampradāna (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• मोक्षमार्गैकहेतवे: to the sole cause of the path to liberation
• मोक्षमार्गैकहेतवे: Sampradāna (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + मार्ग + एक + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: ‘मोक्षमार्गस्य एकः हेतुः’ (sole cause of the path to liberation); पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Sūta narrating Setu Māhātmya to the Ṛṣis)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Personified Setu as a radiant causeway; above it a banner (ketu) bearing Rāma’s emblem; in the distance the fall of Rāvaṇa implied; pilgrims offer salutations with uplifted hands.

Characters & Entities

• Setu
• Daśakaṇṭha (Rāvaṇa)
• Rāmacandra
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is celebrated not only historically (as linked to Rāma’s victory) but also as a direct support for the pilgrim’s liberation-oriented path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Setubandha, praised through a salutation formula (namaḥ) as spiritually liberating.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation/utterance of salutations (a stotra-style namaskāra) to Setu with liberation-focused intent.