Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तद्बिलं प्रापयामास जानकीरमणो द्विजाः । तस्योपरि बिलस्याथ कृत्वा मण्डपमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

tadbilaṃ prāpayāmāsa jānakīramaṇo dvijāḥ | tasyopari bilasyātha kṛtvā maṇḍapamuttamam

Translation

Wahai para dvija, kekasih Jānakī (Rāma) telah menjadikan (mereka) sampai ke gua itu; kemudian di atas gua tersebut Baginda mendirikan sebuah maṇḍapa yang amat utama.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'बिलम्' इति विशेषणम्

• बिलम्: cave/pit
• बिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रापयामास: caused to reach / brought
• प्रापयामास: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप्/आप्नोति (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative sense)

• जानकीरमणः: the beloved of Jānakī (Rāma)
• जानकीरमणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानकी + रमण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जानक्याः रमणः)

• द्विजाः: the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of it/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• उपरि: above, on
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्ग/अधिकारण-निपात) = 'upon/above'

• बिलस्य: of the cave
• बिलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = 'having done/made'

• मण्डपम्: a pavilion
• मण्डपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'मण्डपम्' इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Deducted: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa narrating to sages (Setukhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāga-bila-maṇḍapa (Setukṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma, serene and resolute, directs attendants to mark the cavern and raise an excellent pavilion above it; the sea and Setu landscape frame the act of consecrated construction.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Jānakī-ramaṇa)
• Sītā (Jānakī)
• Bila (cavern)
• Maṇḍapa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space is intentionally created—through dharmic action and construction—to protect pilgrims and stabilize spiritual power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu/Rāmeśvaram locality featuring a famed cavern (bila) and a maṇḍapa established above it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The building of a maṇḍapa (pavilion/shrine-structure) as part of establishing and safeguarding the sacred locus.