Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

तत्कर्त्तव्यं त्वया शीघ्रं विलंबं मा कृथा द्विज । दक्षिणांबुनिधौ सेतौ गंधमादनपर्वते

Transliteration

tatkarttavyaṃ tvayā śīghraṃ vilaṃbaṃ mā kṛthā dvija | dakṣiṇāṃbunidhau setau gaṃdhamādanaparvate

Translation

“Laksanakanlah segera; jangan berlengah, wahai dwija. Di Setu pada lautan selatan, di Gunung Gandhamādana…”

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्तव्यं)

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done, obligatory
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय/कर्तव्यता (ought to be done)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विलम्बम्: delay
• विलम्बम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vilamba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (prohibitive particle)

• कृथाः: make/do
• कृथाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; निषेधेन सह (मा कृथाः)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• दक्षिण: southern
• दक्षिण: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (दक्षिण-अम्बु-निधौ)

• अम्बु: water
• अम्बु: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• निधौ: in the ocean (treasure of waters)
• निधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: अम्बुनः निधिः (समुद्रः); ततः 'दक्षिण' इति विशेषणपूर्वकः

• सेतौ: at/on the bridge (Setu)
• सेतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गन्धमादन: Gandhamādana (name)
• गन्धमादन: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha-mādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: गन्धान् मादयति इति (नामरूपेण)

• पर्वते: on the mountain
• पर्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: गन्धमादनस्य पर्वतः (गन्धमादनपर्वतः)

Speaker

Śākalya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu (Setubandha/Rāmeśvara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśyapa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śākalya points southward, commanding immediate departure: the southern ocean, the Setu causeway, and the sacred Gandhamādana rise in the distance; Kāśyapa prepares for journey.

Characters & Entities

• Śākalya
• Setu
• Dakṣiṇāmbunidhi (southern ocean)
• Gandhamādana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a dharmic remedy is known, one should act promptly—delay weakens resolve and prolongs impurity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu in the southern ocean (Setu-kṣetra/Setu Māhātmya setting), with a locale linked to Mount Gandhamādana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Immediate undertaking of the instructed tīrtha act (expanded in the next verses as bathing at specific tīrthas).