Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

विविशुर्नर्मदातोयं सपक्षा इव पर्वताः । द्योतयन्तो दिशः सर्वाः कुशहस्ताः सहाग्रयः

Transliteration

viviśurnarmadātoyaṃ sapakṣā iva parvatāḥ | dyotayanto diśaḥ sarvāḥ kuśahastāḥ sahāgrayaḥ

Translation

Sie traten in die Wasser der Narmadā ein wie Berge, mit Flügeln versehen. Kuśa-Gras in den Händen, die Spitzen erhoben, schienen sie alle Himmelsrichtungen zu erleuchten.

Word by Word

• विविशुः: entered
• विविशुः: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural), परस्मैपदम्; ‘they entered’

• नर्मदातोयम्: the water of the Narmadā
• नर्मदातोयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘नर्मदायाः तोयम्’ = ‘water of Narmadā’

• सपक्षाः: winged
• सपक्षाः: Upamana (Part of simile)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; अव्ययीभावः: ‘पक्षैः सह’ = ‘with wings’

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-marker (Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्ययम् (simile particle)

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; upamāna (standard of comparison)

• द्योतयन्तः: illuminating
• द्योतयन्तः: Karta (Subject-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्योतय् (द्योत् (धातु) + णिच्) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘shining/illuminating’

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; ‘directions’

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; agrees with ‘दिशः’

• कुशहस्ताः: with kuśa-grass in hand
• कुशहस्ताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कुशः हस्ते येषाम्’ (or ‘कुश-हस्त’ as descriptive) = ‘having kuśa in hand’

• सहाग्रयः: along with the leaders/foremost
• सहाग्रयः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; अव्ययीभावः: ‘अग्रैः सह’ = ‘together with the foremost/elders’

Speaker

A Purāṇic narrator (contextual: a sage/narrator addressing a king; exact speaker not stated in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of vow-observers steps into the Narmadā holding kuśa-grass; their raised kuśa tips catch the light, making them appear like radiant ‘winged mountains’ moving into shimmering water; the four directions glow.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Kuśa (ritual grass)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching Narmadā with ritual discipline (kuśa in hand) is portrayed as a luminous, sanctifying act that purifies and elevates the devotee.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred river-tīrtha of Narmadā (Revā) itself, central to the Revā Khaṇḍa’s pilgrimage praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Entering the river for snāna while holding kuśa-grass (a common Vedic-Purāṇic ritual accessory indicating purity and intention).