Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

कष्टात्कष्टतरं प्राप्ता वयमद्य निराश्रयाः । महाजले महावाते समुद्रे हि निराश्रये

Transliteration

kaṣṭātkaṣṭataraṃ prāptā vayamadya nirāśrayāḥ | mahājale mahāvāte samudre hi nirāśraye

Translation

కష్టానికన్నా ఘోరమైన కష్టంలో నేడు మేము పడ్డాము; ఆశ్రయము లేనివారమయ్యాము. ఈ మహాజలంలో, మహావాయువులో, ఆశ్రయరహిత సముద్రంలోనే.

Word by Word

• कष्टात्: from hardship
• कष्टात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• कष्टतरम्: more difficult (thing)
• कष्टतरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कष्टतर (प्रातिपदिक; कष्ट + तर-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• प्राप्ताः: (we) have reached/attained
• प्राप्ताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘have reached/attained’ (finite sense)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• निराश्रयाः: without refuge, helpless
• निराश्रयाः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; निर्-उपसर्ग + आश्रय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘वयम्’)

• महाजले: in the great water
• महाजले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाजल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + जल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• महावाते: in the great wind
• महावाते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावात (प्रातिपदिक; महा + वात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समुद्रे: in the ocean
• समुद्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• निराश्रये: (in) refuge-less (place)
• निराश्रये: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘समुद्रे’)

Speaker

Rāma (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra / Setubandha (Sāgara-tīra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vānara leaders and companions

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma and the vānaras stand on a storm-lashed shore; towering waves and dark clouds; the sense of being ‘without refuge’ in the roaring ocean.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Samudra (Ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When worldly supports fail, dharmic resolve seeks a higher refuge—right counsel, devotion, and disciplined action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu seashore is the situational setting, but the verse is a lament, not a tīrtha-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.