Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

नलस्तानि समादाय चक्रे सेतुं महोदधौ । पंचभिर्दिवसैः सेतुर्यावल्लंकासमीपतः

Transliteration

nalastāni samādāya cakre setuṃ mahodadhau | paṃcabhirdivasaiḥ seturyāvallaṃkāsamīpataḥ

Translation

నలుడు ఆ సామగ్రిని తీసుకొని మహాసముద్రంలో సేతువును నిర్మించాడు; ఐదు దినాలలో సేతువు లంక సమీపం వరకు విస్తరించింది।

Word by Word

• nalaḥ: Nala
• nalaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tāni: those (things)
• tāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (pronoun)

• samādāya: having taken/collected
• samādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ā-dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• cakre: made / constructed
• cakre: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-रूप (काव्यप्रयोग)

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

• mahodadhau: in the great ocean
• mahodadhau: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + udadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘great ocean’

• paṃcabhiḥ: with five
• paṃcabhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• divasaiḥ: days
• divasaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• setuḥ: the bridge
• setuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• laṅkā: of Laṅkā
• laṅkā: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• samīpataḥ: up to near (the vicinity)
• samīpataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + -tas (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival/locative adverb) ‘up to the vicinity/near’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipras/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nala stands at the shoreline directing final placements; the bridge stretches across the ocean like a stone ribbon, reaching toward the silhouette of Laṅkā; vānaras cheer as the last gaps close.

Characters & Entities

• Nala
• Setu
• Great Ocean (Mahodadhi)
• Laṅkā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Determined, skillful action in the service of dharma can accomplish what seems impossible—even crossing the ocean.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setubandha (Setu) in the Setukhaṇḍa narrative, stretching toward Laṅkā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it narrates the construction timeline and sacred feat associated with the Setu.