Narmadā–Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Sequence of Sacred Fords and Their Fruits
तत्र देवाः सगन्धर्वा भवात्मजमनुत्तमम् / उपासते महात्मानं स्कन्दं शक्तिधिरं प्रभुम्
tatra devāḥ sagandharvā bhavātmajamanuttamam / upāsate mahātmānaṃ skandaṃ śaktidhiraṃ prabhum
هناك يعبدُ الآلهةُ مع الغَنْدهرفات سكَندا، الابنَ الذي لا يُضاهى لِبهافا (شِيفا)، ذلك السيّدَ عظيمَ الروح، القويَّ حاملَ الرمح «شَكتي».
Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in the Kurma Purana’s discourse frame, traditionally Sūta reporting the sages’ dialogue)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Indirectly: it emphasizes upāsanā (reverent worship) of a divine manifestation (Skanda) as a means of aligning oneself with dharma and divine power; the verse focuses on devotion rather than an explicit Ātman doctrine.
The practice implied is upāsanā—steady devotional attendance and reverence. In Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva framework, such devotion supports inner discipline (yama-niyama, concentration, and surrender) that complements Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā.
By presenting Skanda as “Bhava’s son” and an object of universal reverence, it reflects the Purāṇic synthesis where devotion across Shaiva-Vaishnava traditions is affirmed; honoring Shiva’s lineage is compatible with the Kurma Purana’s integrative theology.