Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

सेतुमारब्धवान्विप्रा यावल्लंकामतंद्रितः । सिंहासनं समारुह्य रामो नलकृतं शुभम्

Transliteration

setumārabdhavānviprā yāvallaṃkāmataṃdritaḥ | siṃhāsanaṃ samāruhya rāmo nalakṛtaṃ śubham

Translation

Wahai para brāhmana, baginda tanpa jemu memulakan pembinaan Setu hingga ke Laṅkā. Rāma pun bersemayam di atas singgahsana bertuah yang diperbuat oleh Nala.

Word by Word

• setum: the bridge
• setum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• ārabdhavān: having begun (it)
• ārabdhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-rabh (धातु) + -vat (कृत्/प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृत् (कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘having begun/undertaken’

• viprāḥ: the brāhmaṇas
• viprāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• yāvat: until / as far as
• yāvat: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक (until/as far as)

• laṅkām: Laṅkā
• laṅkām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• atandritaḥ: untiring / unwearied
• atandritaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-tandrita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation)

• siṃhāsanam: the throne
• siṃhāsanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘lion-seat’ = throne)

• samāruhya: having mounted
• samāruhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ā-ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nalakṛtam: made by Nala
• nalakṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nala + kṛta (कृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘made by Nala’)

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setubandha (Rāmasetu)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis (addressed as ‘viprāḥ’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma, resolute, seated upon an auspicious throne crafted by Nala, overseeing the commencement of the Setu toward Laṅkā; vānaras bustle in the background with materials and banners; ocean horizon glows.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Laṅkā
• Nala
• Setu
• Vipras (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tireless effort dedicated to a righteous cause becomes sacred service when aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setubandha/Setu in the Setukhaṇḍa narrative, extending toward Laṅkā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse describes the commencement and organization of the sacred construction.