Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

शेषभोगनिभं बाहुमुपधाय रघूद्वहः । दक्षिणो दक्षिणं बाहुमुपास्ते मकरालयम्

Transliteration

śeṣabhoganibhaṃ bāhumupadhāya raghūdvahaḥ | dakṣiṇo dakṣiṇaṃ bāhumupāste makarālayam

Translation

Le meilleur de la lignée de Raghu, prenant pour oreiller son bras pareil au capuchon enroulé de Śeṣa, demeura tourné vers le sud, servant avec dévotion l’océan, demeure des makaras.

Word by Word

• शेषभोगनिभम्: resembling the coils of Śeṣa
• शेषभोगनिभम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष + भोग + निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (उपमान-निर्देश): शेषस्य भोग इव निभः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बाहुम् विशेषयति

• बाहुम्: arm
• बाहुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपधाय: having placed
• उपधाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), “having placed/laid”

• रघूद्वहः: the scion of the Raghu line
• रघूद्वहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु + उद्वह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: रघूणाम् उद्वहः (श्रेष्ठः/वंशधरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दक्षिणः: rightward / on the right side
• दक्षिणः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (as “right-side/turned to the south/right”)

• दक्षिणम्: right
• दक्षिणम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बाहुम् विशेषयति

• बाहुम्: arm
• बाहुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपास्ते: worships/attends upon
• उपास्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मकरालयम्: the abode of makaras (the ocean)
• मकरालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: मकराणाम् आलयः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice; contextually Sūta-like narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Samudra-tīra at Setubandha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma reclines with one arm as pillow, likened to Śeṣa’s coiled hood; he faces south toward the dark, makara-haunted ocean, in silent vigil.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Raghu
• Śeṣa
• Sāgara (Ocean)
• Makara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence precedes force—Rāma first approaches the ocean with disciplined, devotional attention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu seashore (Setukhaṇḍa), tied to the later sanctity of the Setu/Rāmeśvaram pilgrimage region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies upāsanā (reverential worship/attendance) toward Sāgara as part of Rāma’s vow.