Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

मध्ये वानरमु ख्यानां प्राप्तकालमिदं वचः । उपायः को नु भवतामेतत्सागरलंघने

Transliteration

madhye vānaramu khyānāṃ prāptakālamidaṃ vacaḥ | upāyaḥ ko nu bhavatāmetatsāgaralaṃghane

Translation

ヴァーナラの名だたる首領たちのただ中で、彼は時宜にかなった言葉を告げた。「この大海を渡るため、そなたらはいかなる方策を立てるのか。」

Word by Word

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वानरमुख्यानाम्: of the chief monkeys
• वानरमुख्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः (वानराणां मुख्यानाम्)

• प्राप्तकालम्: timely, at the right time
• प्राप्तकालम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त + काल (प्रातिपदिक; प्राप्त = √आप् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying इदम् वचः)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/Object; ‘this speech’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपायः: means, method
• उपायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कः: what? which?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• नु: indeed? then?
• नु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (interrogative/emphatic particle)

• भवताम्: of you (hon.)
• भवताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक; आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• एतत्: in this
• एतत्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (एतत् सागरलंघने)

• सागरलंघने: in crossing the ocean
• सागरलंघने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर + लङ्घन (प्रातिपदिक; √लङ्घ् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः (सागरस्य लङ्घने)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; reporting Rāma’s speech)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma stands or sits amid the foremost vānaras, addressing them with a focused question about the means to cross the ocean; leaders form a semicircle against the sea backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vānara leaders
• Ocean (Sāgara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma acts through wise means (upāya): righteous goals require thoughtful planning and collective counsel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The question is posed in the Cakratīrtha context within Setu-khaṇḍa, a narrative gateway to Setubandha’s sacred significance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is strategic counsel related to the impending Setu/ocean-crossing episode.