Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ततः संप्रस्थितः काले लंकामुद्दिश्य राघवः । मनोजवेन तेनैव विमानेन सुवर्चसा

Transliteration

tataḥ saṃprasthitaḥ kāle laṃkāmuddiśya rāghavaḥ | manojavena tenaiva vimānena suvarcasā

Translation

Puis, au moment propice, Rāghava se mit en route vers Laṅkā, dans ce même char aérien éclatant, rapide comme la pensée.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनुक्रम-अव्यय — indeclinable ‘then/from there’

• संप्रस्थितः: having set out
• संप्रस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-स्था (धातु) → संप्रस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular

• लङ्काम्: Laṅkā
• लङ्काम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• उद्दिश्य: heading toward/aiming at
• उद्दिश्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिश्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (तुमुन्-न), अव्ययभाव — Gerund (absolutive) ‘having aimed at/heading toward’

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनोजवेन: with mind-like speed
• मनोजवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनोजव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मनसः जवः)

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Pronoun, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय — emphatic particle

• विमानेन: by the aerial car
• विमानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• सुवर्चसा: with splendid radiance
• सुवर्चसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Adjectival noun ‘splendour’, Instrumental, Singular; विशेषणत्वेन विमानेन सह

Speaker

Narrator (implied Purāṇic narrator; not explicitly named in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Laṅkā (itihāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāghava departs at the proper time toward Laṅkā in the same brilliant Puṣpaka, moving with mind-like speed across the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Laṅkā
• Vimāna (Puṣpaka implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma advances when undertaken at the right time and with resolute purpose—Rāma’s timely departure symbolizes disciplined action aligned with righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Laṅkā is introduced as a sacred-geographic locus tied to Itihāsa memory; the verse sets the stage for its Purāṇic sanctification rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.