Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

रक्षार्थं रामसेतौ हि सेतुमाधवसंज्ञया । महाविष्णुः समध्यास्ते निबद्धो निगडेन वै

Transliteration

rakṣārthaṃ rāmasetau hi setumādhavasaṃjñayā | mahāviṣṇuḥ samadhyāste nibaddho nigaḍena vai

Translation

En vérité, pour la protection de Rāmasetu, Mahāviṣṇu demeure assis là, connu sous le nom de Setu-Mādhava, comme lié par un entrave d’ordonnance divine.

Word by Word

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षार्थ (प्रातिपदिक) = रक्षा + अर्थ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘रक्षायाः अर्थः’

• रामसेतौ: on/in Rāma’s bridge
• रामसेतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामसेतु (प्रातिपदिक) = राम + सेतु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): ‘रामस्य सेतुः’

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/causal particle)

• सेतुमाधवसंज्ञया: by the appellation ‘Setu-Mādhava’
• सेतुमाधवसंज्ञया: Karana (Instrument—by name/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतुमाधवसंज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) = सेतु + माधव + संज्ञा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘सेतुमाधव इति संज्ञा यस्य/या’ (by the name ‘Setu-Mādhava’)

• महाविष्णुः: Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + विष्णु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: ‘महान् विष्णुः’

• समध्यास्ते: sits there, presides
• समध्यास्ते: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अधि + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• निबद्धः: bound, fastened
• निबद्धः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) = bound, fastened

• निगडेन: with a shackle, fetter
• निगडेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निगड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Narrator of Setukhaṇḍa (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-Mādhava at Rāmasetu

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahāviṣṇu seated in regal stillness upon/near the Setu, titled Setu-Mādhava; a symbolic ‘fetter’ (nigada) indicates divine ordinance—more emblematic than punitive—while the ocean surrounds the causeway.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāviṣṇu
• Setu-Mādhava
• Rāmasetu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred site is upheld through divine presence; the Lord willingly ‘binds’ Himself to protect dharma and the tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rāmasetu, with Viṣṇu worshiped there as Setu-Mādhava.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it identifies the form/name of Viṣṇu associated with the site for devotion and worship.