Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

लोकोपकारहेतोश्च स्थीयतां गिरिनन्दिनि । पराशराभिधानेन नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे

Transliteration

lokopakārahetośca sthīyatāṃ girinandini | parāśarābhidhānena narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe

Translation

«ولأجل نفع العالم، يا ابنةَ الجبل، امكثي (هنا) على الضفة الجنوبية لنهر نَرْمَدَا، باسمِ “باراشارا” (المرتبط بباراشارا).»

Word by Word

• लोक-उपकार-हेतोः: for the sake of benefiting the world
• लोक-उपकार-हेतोः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकार (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य उपकारः; तस्य हेतुः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• स्थीयताम्: please remain
• स्थीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (स्थीयताम् = ‘स्थीयताम्’ passive/आज्ञार्थ)

• गिरिनन्दिनि: O daughter of the mountain
• गिरिनन्दिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गिरेः नन्दिनी)

• पराशर-अभिधानेन: by the name ‘Parāśara’
• पराशर-अभिधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पराशर-नाम्ना)

• नर्मदा-दक्षिणे: on the southern (bank) of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नर्मदायाः दक्षिणे)

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Parāśara

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Parāśarā-tīrtha (requested name)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Girinandinī (Mahādevī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Parāśara petitions Girinandinī to remain on Narmadā’s southern bank for the world’s welfare, under the name Parāśarā; visualize Devī’s descent into a fixed shrine/linga-like presence near a ghat, with pilgrims arriving.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Pārvatī (Girinandinī)
• Narmadā (Revā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha becomes a refuge for all when divine presence is requested and established for lokopakāra (universal welfare).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Devī-sannidhāna site on the southern bank of the Narmadā, associated with the name Parāśara/Parāśarā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act implied is prārthanā and pratiṣṭhā-bhāva—invoking and establishing the deity’s abiding presence at a place.