Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

सकलं युगसाहस्रं नर्मदेयं विजानती । प्रसुप्तं देवदेवेशमुपास्ते वरवर्णिनी

Transliteration

sakalaṃ yugasāhasraṃ narmadeyaṃ vijānatī | prasuptaṃ devadeveśamupāste varavarṇinī

Translation

إذ كانت عارفةً بديار نَرْمَدَا، كانت السيدة الحسناء الفاضلة تقوم بخدمةٍ تعبّدية لربّ أرباب الآلهة، وهو راقدٌ في سكونٍ عميق، طوال مدى ألف يوجا.

Word by Word

• sakalam: entire/whole
• sakalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• yuga-sāhasram: a thousand yugas
• yuga-sāhasram: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time span)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga-sāhasra (प्रातिपदिक; युग + साहस्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणम्

• narmadeyam: the Narmadā-gift/boon (name)
• narmadeyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narmadeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vijānatī: knowing/understanding
• vijānatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (धातु; ज्ञा) → vijānatī (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि

• prasuptam: fast asleep
• prasuptam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√svap (धातु) → prasupta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• deva-deveśam: Lord of the gods
• deva-deveśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-deva-īśa (प्रातिपदिक; देव + देव + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• upāste: worships/attends upon
• upāste: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√ās (धातु; आस्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• vara-varṇinī: the fair/beautiful-complexioned lady
• vara-varṇinī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara-varṇinī (प्रातिपदिक; वर + वर्णिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण नाम

Speaker

Deductive (Revākhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor seeking Narmadā-māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The beautiful lady stands/sits in vigilant devotion beside the sleeping Devadeveśa; time is shown as turning yugas—changing skies, seasons—while her posture remains constant; Narmadā flows nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Deva-deveśa (Śiva implied)
• Goddess (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast worship across vast time is idealized; divine service (upāsanā) is timeless and unwavering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadeya—the sacred region of the Narmadā (Revā)—is directly referenced, supporting the Revā Māhātmya orientation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upāsanā (devotional attendance/worship) is implied, though no specific rite (snāna/dāna/japa) is detailed.