Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

शिबिकाभिश्चासंख्याभिः प्रययौ राघवस्तदा । गजारूढः प्रपश्यंश्च देशान्विविधसौहृदान्

Transliteration

śibikābhiścāsaṃkhyābhiḥ prayayau rāghavastadā | gajārūḍhaḥ prapaśyaṃśca deśānvividhasauhṛdān

Translation

تب راغَو بے شمار شِبیکاؤں کے ساتھ آگے بڑھا؛ ہاتھی پر سوار ہو کر وہ گوناگوں دوستی کے رشتوں سے پہچانے جانے والے بہت سے دیسوں کو دیکھتا گیا۔

Word by Word

• शिबिकाभिः: with palanquins
• शिबिकाभिः: Sahakāraka (Means/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instr. pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• असंख्याभिः: countless
• असंख्याभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instr. pl.); विशेषणम्

• प्रययौ: went forth
• प्रययौ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: या

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rama)
• राघवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• गजारूढः: mounted on an elephant
• गजारूढः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + आरूढ (आ-रुह् धातोः क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गजे आरूढः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• प्रपश्यन्: seeing, observing
• प्रपश्यन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Concurrent action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पश्/दृश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle) ‘प्रपश्यत्’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देशान्: regions, countries
• देशान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Acc. pl.)

• विविधसौहृदान्: having various friendly relations
• विविधसौहृदान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक) + सौहृद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (विविधं सौहृदं येषु/येषां ते); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Acc. pl.); ‘देशान्’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa style narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāghava rides a caparisoned elephant, surrounded by innumerable palanquins and attendants; he surveys varied lands and peoples, greeted by friendly rulers and communities along the route.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-oriented leadership moves through the world without hostility, recognizing and sustaining bonds of goodwill.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative continues toward Dharmāraṇya; this verse serves as the journey-setting rather than a site-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears in this verse.