Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

वृतः कतिपयैः सैन्यैः समादाय धनं बहु । रामनाथस्य सेवार्थमयासीद्गंधमादनम्

Transliteration

vṛtaḥ katipayaiḥ sainyaiḥ samādāya dhanaṃ bahu | rāmanāthasya sevārthamayāsīdgaṃdhamādanam

Translation

ചില സൈനികർ ചുറ്റിനിൽക്കേ, ധാരാളം ധനം കൈക്കൊണ്ട്, രാമനാഥന്റെ സേവാർത്ഥം അദ്ദേഹം ഗന്ധമാദനത്തിലേക്ക് പുറപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• वृतः: accompanied, surrounded
• वृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचनम्; (राजा इति अध्याहार्यः)

• कतिपयैः: by a few
• कतिपयैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कतिपय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd); बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सैन्यैः: soldiers, troops
• सैन्यैः: Karana/Sahakari (Accompaniment-instrumental/सहकारि-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd); बहुवचनम्

• समादाय: having taken/collected
• समादाय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + दा (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having taken/collected)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचनम्

• बहु: much
• बहु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (धनम्)

• रामनाथस्य: of Rāmanātha
• रामनाथस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th); एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रामस्य नाथः)

• सेवार्थम्: for (the) service
• सेवार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सेवा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; प्रयोजनवाचक (for the purpose of service)

• अयासीत्: went
• अयासीत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect); प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• गन्धमादनम्: Gandhamādana (mountain)
• गन्धमादनम्: Karma (Goal/object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + मादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचनम्; समासः (गन्धान् मादयतीति/गन्धैः मादनम्—नाम)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana (waypoint) / Rāmanātha (goal)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king departs with a small escort, pack animals carrying chests of offerings; ahead rises a fragrant, forested mountain labeled Gandhamādana; in the king’s mind is the liṅga of Rāmanātha, indicating the journey’s purpose.

Characters & Entities

• Rāmanātha (Rāmeśvara)
• Gandhamādana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion expresses itself as purposeful action—undertaking travel and resources for sevā rather than mere praise.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rāmanātha’s sacred sphere is the goal; Gandhamādana is named as a destination in the narrative route/context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā is explicit, and carrying wealth implies dāna/offerings for sacred service, though the exact rite is not detailed.