Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

रावणं जेतुकामो वै रामो राजीवलोचनः । अरण्यवासमकरोद्देवानां कार्यसिद्धये

Transliteration

rāvaṇaṃ jetukāmo vai rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ | araṇyavāsamakaroddevānāṃ kāryasiddhaye

Translation

Désireux de vaincre Rāvaṇa, Rāma aux yeux de lotus entreprit la vie en forêt afin d’accomplir l’œuvre des dieux.

Word by Word

• rāvaṇam: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• jetu-kāmaḥ: desiring to conquer
• jetu-kāmaḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jetu (जि धातोः तुमुन्-अन्त/infinitive) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (जेतुं कामः) (Nominative singular masculine)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (particle: indeed)

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular)

• rājīva-locanaḥ: lotus-eyed
• rājīva-locanaḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājīva + locana (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (रājīव-लोचनानि यस्य सः) (Nominative singular masculine)

• araṇya-vāsam: forest-dwelling/exile to the forest
• araṇya-vāsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (अरण्ये वासः) (Accusative singular)

• akarot: did/undertook
• akarot: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (he did/made)

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural)

• kārya-siddhaye: for the accomplishment of the task
• kārya-siddhaye: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya + siddhi (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कार्यस्य सिद्धिः) (Dative singular: for the accomplishment)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual frame) / Araṇya as tapas-sthāna (conceptual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma, lotus-eyed, clad in bark garments, bow in hand yet calm, entering the forest with resolute purpose; devas subtly present as unseen beneficiaries of his vow.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma may require hardship; righteous leaders accept sacrifice to serve a higher cosmic duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra is the broader glorified setting in this section, though the verse references forest-dwelling generally.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; araṇyavāsa is presented as a dhārmic discipline supporting a divine mission.