Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

कथं सागरमक्षोभ्यं तरामो वरुणा लयम् । सैन्यैः परिवृताः सर्वे वानराणां महौजसाम्

Transliteration

kathaṃ sāgaramakṣobhyaṃ tarāmo varuṇā layam | sainyaiḥ parivṛtāḥ sarve vānarāṇāṃ mahaujasām

Translation

„Wie sollen wir diesen unerschütterlichen Ozean, die Wohnstatt Varuṇas, überqueren, da wir alle von den Heeren der mächtigen, kraftvollen Vānaras umringt sind?“

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• सागरम्: the ocean
• सागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (masculine accusative singular)

• अक्षोभ्यम्: unshakable; not to be disturbed
• अक्षोभ्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + क्षोभ्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be shaken’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter accusative singular agreeing with सागरम्)

• तरामः: we cross
• तरामः: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st plural)

• वरुणालयम्: Varuṇa’s abode (the sea)
• वरुणालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘वरुणस्य आलयम्’)

• सैन्यैः: with armies; with troops
• सैन्यैः: Sahakāraka/Instrument (Means/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (neuter instrumental plural)

• परिवृताः: surrounded; accompanied
• परिवृताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + वृत् (धातु) → परिवृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (past passive participle, masculine nominative plural)

• सर्वे: all (of us/them)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronominal adjective used substantively)

• वानराणाम्: of the monkeys
• वानराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (masculine genitive plural)

• महौजसाम्: of great strength/energy
• महौजसाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् + ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (‘महद् ओजः येषां ते’); विशेषण (genitive plural qualifying वानराणाम्)

Speaker

Rāma (contextual attribution: the following verses continue the same deliberation; explicit speaker not tagged until 46)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varuṇālaya-samudra at Setu (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (implied) sages/audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Leaders among the vānara host stand at the shore, gazing at the vast ocean, speaking anxiously yet resolutely about crossing Varuṇa’s realm; the army massed behind them.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Varuṇa
• Samudra (Ocean)
• Vānara-sena (monkey army)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Leadership in dharma weighs the welfare of all; courage is paired with careful planning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu corridor (Setubandha/Rāmeśvaram sacred zone) forms the narrative backdrop, as the crossing toward Laṅkā is contemplated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse focuses on practical and moral deliberation (vicāra) about the crossing.