Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

जानकीलक्ष्मणसखं रामं प्राव्राजयन्नृपः । त्रिरात्रमुदकाहारश्चतुर्थेह्नि फलाशनः

Transliteration

jānakīlakṣmaṇasakhaṃ rāmaṃ prāvrājayannṛpaḥ | trirātramudakāhāraścaturthehni phalāśanaḥ

Translation

Der König sandte Rāma in die Verbannung, begleitet von Jānakī und seinem Gefährten Lakṣmaṇa. Drei Nächte nahm er nur Wasser zu sich; am vierten Tag aß er Früchte.

Word by Word

• jānakīlakṣmaṇasakham: (Rāma) companion of Jānakī and Lakṣmaṇa
• jānakīlakṣmaṇasakham: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jānakī (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘रामम्’ इति विशेषणम् (friend/companion of Jānakī and Lakṣmaṇa)

• rāmam: Rāma
• rāmam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• prāvrājayan: sending into exile
• prāvrājayan: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vraj (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययः (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘नृपः’ इति कर्तृविशेषणरूपेण

• nṛpaḥ: the king
• nṛpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• trirātram: for three nights
• trirātram: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time extent/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कालपरिमाणम्

• udakāhāraḥ: having water as food (living on water)
• udakāhāraḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक) + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘(रामः)’ इति कर्तृसम्बन्धे विधेयम्

• caturthe: on the fourth
• caturthe: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘अह्नि’ इति विशेषणम्

• ahni: day
• ahni: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• phalāśanaḥ: eating fruits
• phalāśanaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + āśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘(रामः)’ इति विधेयम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa on the road in ascetic attire; sparse provisions; Rāma subsisting on water for three nights, then fruits—an image of serene endurance.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (Jānakī)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daśaratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic life embraces restraint; austerity (tapas) becomes a support for truth and duty in hardship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse highlights the ascetic mode of life adopted in forest-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A simple austerity is described (water-only, then fruit), but it is narrative rather than a formal vrata instruction.