Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

सीतया सह धर्मज्ञो गुरुसैन्यपुरःसरः । लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा भरतेन सहायवान्

Transliteration

sītayā saha dharmajño gurusainyapuraḥsaraḥ | lakṣmaṇena saha bhrātrā bharatena sahāyavān

Translation

Rāma, connaisseur du dharma, s’en alla avec Sītā, précédé de son guru et de ses troupes ; accompagné de son frère Lakṣmaṇa, et soutenu par Bharata.

Word by Word

• सीतया: with Sītā
• सीतया: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (particle of accompaniment)

• धर्मज्ञः: knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मं जानाति इति)

• गुरुसैन्यपुरःसरः: going in front of the guru’s army
• गुरुसैन्यपुरःसरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरःसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः सैन्यस्य पुरःसरः = one who goes in front of the guru's army)

• लक्ष्मणेन: with Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मणेन: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सह: with
• सह: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात

• भ्रात्रा: with (his) brother
• भ्रात्रा: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भरतेन: with Bharata
• भरतेन: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सहायवान्: having companions/attendants
• सहायवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहायवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal yet ascetic-leaning procession: Rāma with Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, and Śatrughna; Vasiṣṭha and the army precede, moving toward the sacred forest.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Bharata
• Guru (Vasiṣṭha implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is ideally undertaken with dharmic intent, family harmony, and guidance of the guru.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Dharmāraṇya yātrā narrative by describing Rāma’s journeying party.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it frames the yātrā as a disciplined, guru-guided undertaking.