Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

असमर्थं विजानाति धिक्क्षमामीदृशे जने । न दर्शयति साम्ना मे सागरो रूपमात्मनः

Transliteration

asamarthaṃ vijānāti dhikkṣamāmīdṛśe jane | na darśayati sāmnā me sāgaro rūpamātmanaḥ

Translation

«Il me croit sans puissance : honte à un tel être ! L’océan ne me révèle pas sa propre forme, même lorsque j’use de conciliation.»

Word by Word

• असमर्थम्: incapable; powerless
• असमर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/निषेधपूर्वक; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्/अहम् implied)

• विजानाति: considers; knows
• विजानाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• धिक्: shame! fie!
• धिक्: Sambandha (Exclamation/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिक् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure)

• क्षमामि: I tolerate; I forgive
• क्षमामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• ईदृशे: in such (a)
• ईदृशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जने: person
• जने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• दर्शयति: shows
• दर्शयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) [णिच् causative: दर्शय-]
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग

• साम्ना: by conciliation; peacefully
• साम्ना: Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपाय/करणार्थे (by conciliation/peaceful means)

• मे: my; to me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (genitive/dative: 'my/to me'); अत्र षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे

• सागरः: the ocean
• सागरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रूपम्: form; appearance
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of himself; his own
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

Rāma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (Sāgara-sannidhāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma speaks in wounded indignation: ‘He thinks me incapable’; the sea remains faceless; Rāma’s posture is upright, jaw set, eyes intense; Lakṣmaṇa listens, concerned.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sāgara (Ocean)
• Sāman (conciliation/appeasement as a policy)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Conciliation is a dharmic first resort, but persistent obstruction can demand stronger measures aligned with duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu oceanic tirtha-zone where the sea is personified and engaged through worship and command.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse contrasts sāman (appeasement) with impending coercive action.