Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

पश्यंत्या अपि वैदेह्या लिंगं तत्सैकतं बलात् । पाणिना सर्वयत्नेन जग्राह तरसा बली

Transliteration

paśyaṃtyā api vaidehyā liṃgaṃ tatsaikataṃ balāt | pāṇinā sarvayatnena jagrāha tarasā balī

Translation

വൈദേഹി (സീത) നോക്കിനിൽക്കുമ്പോഴേക്കും ആ ബലവാൻ സർവ്വശ്രമവും ചെലുത്തി, മഹാ വേഗത്തോടെ, തന്റെ കൈകൊണ്ട് ആ മണൽ-ലിംഗം ബലമായി പിടിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• पश्यन्त्या: while watching
• पश्यन्त्या: Sahakari (Concomitant circumstance/सहकारी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्यन्ती (दृश् धातु → शतृ/शानच् कृदन्त-स्त्री)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular ‘while (she) was watching’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Additive particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ — particle

• वैदेह्या: by Vaidehī (Sītā)
• वैदेह्या: Sahakari (Concomitant/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; विशेषण of ‘लिङ्गम्’

• सैकतम्: sandy
• सैकतम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सैकत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; appositional qualifier of ‘लिङ्गम्’

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Ablative singular used adverbially (‘by force’)

• पाणिना: with (his) hand
• पाणिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• सर्वयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वयत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular (adverbial)

• जग्राह: seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Perfect 3rd sg

• तरसा: with speed/impetuosity
• तरसा: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Instrumental singular (adverbial: ‘swiftly/with force’)

• बली: the strong one
• बली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu/Rāmeśvara sand-liṅga (Saitika-liṅga motif)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before Sītā’s gaze, Hanumān lunges and grips the sand-liṅga with one hand, muscles straining, sand scattering, the crowd frozen in astonishment at the audacity and effort.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• Hanumān (implied as balī)
• Śiva (Liṅga implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Strength and speed cannot override consecrated sanctity; the tīrtha’s power stands firm before might.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Rāmeśvara (Rāmeśvaram), where the sand-liṅga’s sacred potency is showcased.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; it narrates an attempted udvāsana (removal) by physical force.