Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

लोकसंग्रहणं तावत्कर्तव्यं भवताधुना । रामसेतौ महापुण्ये गंधमादनपर्वते

Transliteration

lokasaṃgrahaṇaṃ tāvatkartavyaṃ bhavatādhunā | rāmasetau mahāpuṇye gaṃdhamādanaparvate

Translation

‘เพื่อเกื้อกูลและผูกใจประชาชนให้พร้อมเพรียง บัดนี้พระองค์พึงกระทำสิ่งนี้—ณ รามเสตุอันยิ่งด้วยบุญ บนภูเขาคันธมาทนะ’

Word by Word

• लोक: people/world
• लोक: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• संग्रहणम्: holding together / welfare (of people)
• संग्रहणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + ग्रह् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ल्युट्-कृदन्त (action noun); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य संग्रहणम्)

• तावत्: for the time being
• तावत्: Sambandha (Limiter/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक अव्यय (particle: so much/for now)

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे प्रयोगः

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (honorific)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: now)

• राम: Rāma
• राम: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• सेतौ: at Rāma’s bridge (Rāmasetu)
• सेतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रामस्य सेतुः)

• महापुण्ये: highly meritorious
• महापुण्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महৎ पुण्यम्)

• गन्ध: fragrance
• गन्ध: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• मादन: intoxicating/causing delight
• मादन: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• पर्वते: on Mount Gandhamādana
• पर्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गन्धमादनः पर्वतः)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rāma-setu

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kṛṣṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sweeping sacred coastal panorama: the stone/sand chain of Rāma-setu stretching over the sea, with a sanctified mountain labeled Gandhamādana rising nearby; pilgrims and sages gather, banners fluttering, conches sounding.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Kṛṣṇa
• Rāma-setu
• Gandhamādana (parvata)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred travel and ritual are framed as acts of loka-saṃgraha—supporting dharma and inspiring society through holy example.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rāma-setu is explicitly praised as ‘mahāpuṇya’ (supremely meritorious).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertaking the prescribed prāyaścitta in connection with the pilgrimage-site of Rāma-setu (details follow).