Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

स्वर्गस्य चैत्र सोपानं विप्रा भागीरथी हरिः । रामनाममहारज्ज्वा वैकुंठे येन नीयते

Transliteration

svargasya caitra sopānaṃ viprā bhāgīrathī hariḥ | rāmanāmamahārajjvā vaikuṃṭhe yena nīyate

Translation

ഹേ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരേ, ഭാഗീരഥിയും ഹരിയും സ്വർഗത്തിലേക്കുള്ള മംഗളസോപാനം. രാമനാമമെന്ന മഹാരജ്ജുവാൽ ജീവൻ വൈകുണ്ഠത്തിലേക്ക് നയിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• स्वर्गस्य: of heaven
• स्वर्गस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• चैत्र: O Caitra
• चैत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• सोपानम्: stairway; ladder
• सोपानम्: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भागीरथी: Bhāgīrathī (Ganga)
• भागीरथी: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागीरथी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta/Predicate (Equative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राम: Rama
• राम: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पूर्वपद (in compound)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रामस्य नाम; समासाङ्ग

• महा: great
• महा: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पूर्वपद (in compound), उपसर्जन (prior member)

• रज्ज्वा: by the great rope
• रज्ज्वा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महा रज्जुः; समस्तपदम्

• रामनाममहारज्ज्वा: by the great rope called ‘Rama’s name’
• रामनाममहारज्ज्वा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम-नाम-महा-रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: रामनाम (षष्ठी) + महारज्जु (कर्मधारय)

• वैकुण्ठे: to/in Vaikuṇṭha
• वैकुण्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• नीयते: is led; is taken
• नीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

King (devotional teaching addressed to the brāhmaṇas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary ascent: a luminous staircase rising from the Gaṅgā’s waters toward celestial realms; Hari above; a radiant rope labeled ‘Rāma-nāma’ lifting the devotee toward Vaikuṇṭha.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)
• Hari
• Rāma-nāma
• Vaikuṇṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine name (Rāma-nāma) is a saving support, while Hari and Gaṅgā are celebrated as direct means of upliftment toward liberation and Vaikuṇṭha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) is glorified as a tīrtha; Vaikuṇṭha is named as the supreme destination.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nāma-japa is implied as the practical means—holding to ‘Rāma-nāma’ as the ‘great rope’ leading to Vaikuṇṭha.