Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

स्वर्गस्य चैत्र सोपानं विप्रा भागीरथी हरिः । रामनाममहारज्ज्वा वैकुंठे येन नीयते

Transliteration

svargasya caitra sopānaṃ viprā bhāgīrathī hariḥ | rāmanāmamahārajjvā vaikuṃṭhe yena nīyate

Translation

„O Brāhmaṇas, Bhāgīrathī und Hari sind die glückverheißende Treppe zum Himmel. Durch das große Seil des Namens Rāmas wird man nach Vaikuṇṭha geführt.“

Word by Word

• स्वर्गस्य: of heaven
• स्वर्गस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• चैत्र: O Caitra
• चैत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• सोपानम्: stairway; ladder
• सोपानम्: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भागीरथी: Bhāgīrathī (Ganga)
• भागीरथी: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागीरथी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राम: Rama
• राम: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पूर्वपद (in compound)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रामस्य नाम; समासाङ्ग

• महा: great
• महा: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पूर्वपद (in compound), उपसर्जन (prior member)

• रज्ज्वा: by the great rope
• रज्ज्वा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महा रज्जुः; समस्तपदम्

• रामनाममहारज्ज्वा: by the great rope called ‘Rama’s name’
• रामनाममहारज्ज्वा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम-नाम-महा-रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: रामनाम (षष्ठी) + महारज्जु (कर्मधारय)

• वैकुण्ठे: to/in Vaikuṇṭha
• वैकुण्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• नीयते: is led; is taken
• नीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

King (devotional teaching addressed to the brāhmaṇas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary ascent: a luminous staircase rising from the Gaṅgā’s waters toward celestial realms; Hari above; a radiant rope labeled ‘Rāma-nāma’ lifting the devotee toward Vaikuṇṭha.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)
• Hari
• Rāma-nāma
• Vaikuṇṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine name (Rāma-nāma) is a saving support, while Hari and Gaṅgā are celebrated as direct means of upliftment toward liberation and Vaikuṇṭha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) is glorified as a tīrtha; Vaikuṇṭha is named as the supreme destination.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nāma-japa is implied as the practical means—holding to ‘Rāma-nāma’ as the ‘great rope’ leading to Vaikuṇṭha.