Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

सितधारं भ्रमच्चक्रं सुधारक्षकमंतिके । दृष्ट्वा तदरिरंध्रेण संक्षिप्तांगोतराविशत्

Transliteration

sitadhāraṃ bhramaccakraṃ sudhārakṣakamaṃtike | dṛṣṭvā tadariraṃdhreṇa saṃkṣiptāṃgotarāviśat

Translation

ครั้นเห็นใกล้ ๆ จักรหมุนที่มีคมสว่าง อันเป็นผู้พิทักษ์อมฤต เขาหดกายให้เล็ก แล้วลอดเข้าไปทางช่องแคบระหว่างซี่จักร

Word by Word

• सितधारम्: with bright edge
• सितधारम्: विशेषण (चक्र-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग (चक्रम् इति नपुंसकानुसारं), द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय — 'white-edged/bright-bladed'

• भ्रमच्चक्रम्: the whirling discus
• भ्रमच्चक्रम्: कर्म (दृष्ट्वा-सम्बद्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रमत् (कृदन्त; √भ्रम् धातु) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय — 'spinning discus'

• सुधारक्षकम्: protector of the nectar
• सुधारक्षकम्: विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन (चक्रस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष — 'guardian of amṛta'

• अन्तिके: nearby
• अन्तिके: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverbial locative) — 'near'

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund)

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म-निर्देशक
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; अत्र 'that (discus/guard)' इति निर्देश

• अरिरन्ध्रेण: through the enemy’s gap
• अरिरन्ध्रेण: करण/मार्ग (Means/Path)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि (प्रातिपदिक) + रन्ध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष — 'through the enemy’s opening/crevice'

• संक्षिप्ताङ्गः: with limbs drawn in
• संक्षिप्ताङ्गः: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्षिप्त (कृदन्त; √क्षिप् धातु, क्त) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि — 'one whose limbs are contracted'

• उतरा: down/into
• उतरा: अधिकरण (Directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उतरा (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्गार्थक/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: down/into)

• अविशत्: entered
• अविशत्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (धातु) उपसर्ग-अव
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Setukhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant spinning discus with a white-bright edge whirls like a sun; Garuḍa shrinks, becoming needle-small, slipping through the tiny gap between spokes.

Characters & Entities

• Amṛta (Sudhā)
• Cakra (spinning wheel/weapon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wisdom and adaptability—knowing when to become subtle—can succeed where force alone cannot.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa’s larger aim is Setu/Rāmeśvaram glorification; this verse is a mythic episode supporting that sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes passing a divine security device guarding amṛta.