Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

कथं सागरमक्षोभ्यं तरामो वरुणा लयम् । सैन्यैः परिवृताः सर्वे वानराणां महौजसाम्

Transliteration

kathaṃ sāgaramakṣobhyaṃ tarāmo varuṇā layam | sainyaiḥ parivṛtāḥ sarve vānarāṇāṃ mahaujasām

Translation

“വരുണാലയമായ ഈ അക്ഷോഭ്യ സമുദ്രം നാം എങ്ങനെ കടക്കും? ഞങ്ങൾ എല്ലാവരും മഹൗജസ്സുള്ള വാനരസേനകളാൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു।”

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• सागरम्: the ocean
• सागरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (masculine accusative singular)

• अक्षोभ्यम्: unshakable; not to be disturbed
• अक्षोभ्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + क्षोभ्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be shaken’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter accusative singular agreeing with सागरम्)

• तरामः: we cross
• तरामः: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st plural)

• वरुणालयम्: Varuṇa’s abode (the sea)
• वरुणालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘वरुणस्य आलयम्’)

• सैन्यैः: with armies; with troops
• सैन्यैः: Sahakāraka/Instrument (Means/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (neuter instrumental plural)

• परिवृताः: surrounded; accompanied
• परिवृताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + वृत् (धातु) → परिवृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (past passive participle, masculine nominative plural)

• सर्वे: all (of us/them)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronominal adjective used substantively)

• वानराणाम्: of the monkeys
• वानराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (masculine genitive plural)

• महौजसाम्: of great strength/energy
• महौजसाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् + ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (‘महद् ओजः येषां ते’); विशेषण (genitive plural qualifying वानराणाम्)

Speaker

Rāma (contextual attribution: the following verses continue the same deliberation; explicit speaker not tagged until 46)

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Varuṇa
• Samudra (Ocean)
• Vānara-sena (monkey army)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Leadership in dharma weighs the welfare of all; courage is paired with careful planning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu corridor (Setubandha/Rāmeśvaram sacred zone) forms the narrative backdrop, as the crossing toward Laṅkā is contemplated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse focuses on practical and moral deliberation (vicāra) about the crossing.