Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा सहसौमित्रिरुपस्पृश्याथ राघवः । प्रतिशिश्ये जलनिधिं विधिवत्कुशसंस्तरे

Transliteration

ityuktvā sahasaumitrirupaspṛśyātha rāghavaḥ | pratiśiśye jalanidhiṃ vidhivatkuśasaṃstare

Translation

Ayant ainsi parlé, Rāghava—avec Saumitrī—accomplit l’ācamana, la purification rituelle, puis s’étendit face à l’océan, selon la règle, sur une couche d’herbe kuśa.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इत्यादि-परामर्शार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); 'having said'

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकारार्थक-अव्यय (with)

• सौमित्रिः: Saumitrī (Lakṣmaṇa)
• सौमित्रिः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमित्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उपस्पृश्य: having sipped/touched (water)
• उपस्पृश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive); 'having touched (water) / having performed ācamana'

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रतिशिश्ये: lay down, reclined
• प्रतिशिश्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + शी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• जलनिधिम्: the ocean
• जलनिधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य निधिः)

• विधिवत्: properly, as prescribed
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (according to rule)

• कुशसंस्तरे: on a bed/spread of kuśa grass
• कुशसंस्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कुशैः संस्तरः)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-Samudra tīrtha (ocean-facing vigil spot)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience/interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dusk or night, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa perform ācamana; Rāma lies on a neat bed of kuśa grass facing the ocean in disciplined vigil; moonlight on waves, quiet vānaras at a respectful distance.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Saumitrī (Lakṣmaṇa)
• Jalanidhi (Ocean)
• Kuśa grass

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred action is grounded in purity and discipline—ritual order (vidhi) supports spiritual authority and successful outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu shoreline where Rāma undertakes disciplined worship facing the ocean—part of the Setukhaṇḍa sacred topography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ācamana/upaspṛśya (purificatory sipping) and lying upon a kuśa-grass spread as per vidhi—indicative of vow-like observance before propitiation.