Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

सेतुना तेन गच्छ त्वं लंकां रावणपालि ताम् । उक्त्वेत्यंतर्हिते तस्मिन्रामो नलमुवाच ह

Transliteration

setunā tena gaccha tvaṃ laṃkāṃ rāvaṇapāli tām | uktvetyaṃtarhite tasminrāmo nalamuvāca ha

Translation

„Zieh über jene Brücke nach Laṅkā, die von Rāvaṇa beherrscht wird.“ So sprach er; als er (der Ozean) entschwand, wandte sich Rāma darauf an Nala.

Word by Word

• setunā: by the bridge
• setunā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Singular)

• tena: by that
• tena: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-सम्बन्धे, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental, Singular)

• gaccha: go
• gaccha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (2nd person singular)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative, Singular)

• laṃkām: Laṅkā
• laṃkām: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṃkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• rāvaṇa-pāli: ruled by Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇa-pāli: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (protected/ruled by Rāvaṇa)

• tām: that
• tām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vacana-marker (Quotation/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• antarhite: when (he) had disappeared
• antarhite: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antarhita (प्रातिपदिक; antar-√dhā + kta)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-सम्बन्धे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative, Singular); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• tasmin: in that (time/one)
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-सम्बन्धे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative, Singular)

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• nalam: Nala
• nalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• uvāca: said; spoke
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• ha: indeed (expletive)
• ha: Nipāta (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/इतिहासार्थक निपात (expletive particle)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setubandha (gateway to Laṅkā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ocean deity vanishes after granting the bridge; Rāma turns immediately to Nala, issuing instructions as the vānaras prepare to advance toward Laṅkā.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Samudra (Ocean)
• Nala
• Laṅkā
• Rāvaṇa
• Setu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine approval empowers human effort: once the right means is granted, leadership must mobilize skilled action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Rāmeśvaram, whose sanctity is reinforced by the bridge’s role as the dharmic passage to Laṅkā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it narrates the transition from divine consent to practical execution.