Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

रुरोध च पुरीं लंकां सीतार्थं शुभलक्षणः । तृतीयादिदशम्यंतं निवेशश्च दिनाष्टकः

Transliteration

rurodha ca purīṃ laṃkāṃ sītārthaṃ śubhalakṣaṇaḥ | tṛtīyādidaśamyaṃtaṃ niveśaśca dināṣṭakaḥ

Translation

Et Rāma, marqué de signes propices, mit le siège devant la cité de Laṅkā pour Sītā. Du troisième jour jusqu’au dixième, le campement dura huit jours.

Word by Word

• रुरोध: besieged / blocked
• रुरोध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• पुरीम्: the city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• लङ्काम्: Lanka
• लङ्काम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• सीतार्थम्: for Sita’s sake
• सीतार्थम्: Hetu (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सीतायाः अर्थः = हेतु/प्रयोजनम्)

• शुभलक्षणः: of auspicious marks
• शुभलक्षणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ-लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (शुभं लक्षणं यस्य)

• तृतीयात्: from the third (tithi)
• तृतीयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन (तिथिवाचक)

• आदि: beginning with
• आदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; आद्यर्थक (meaning 'beginning with')

• दशम्यन्तम्: up to the end of the tenth (tithi)
• दशम्यन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशमी-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (दशम्याः अन्तः)

• निवेशः: encampment / stay
• निवेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेश (प्रातिपदिक; निवेश < नि-√विश् (धातु) + घञ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• दिनाष्टकः: a period of eight days
• दिनाष्टकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन-अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक; अष्टक = अष्टन् + क प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (दिनानाम् अष्टकः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Laṅkā-kṣetra (siege perimeter)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience in frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma lays siege to golden Laṅkā for Sītā’s sake; the army encamps from the third day to the tenth—orderly tents, watchfires, and vigilant vānaras.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Laṅkā
• Sītā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous purpose (protecting and restoring the innocent) legitimizes strength; dharma guides even warfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Laṅkā is referenced as the narrative locale; this verse is more historical-chronological than tīrtha-praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse records the duration of the siege/encampment in tithi-based time.