Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

नार्मदेनोदकेनाथ गन्धधूपैः सुशोभनैः । पुष्पोपहारैश्च तथा नैवेद्यैर्नियतात्मवान्

Transliteration

nārmadenodakenātha gandhadhūpaiḥ suśobhanaiḥ | puṣpopahāraiśca tathā naivedyairniyatātmavān

Translation

O Herr, mit Wasser der Narmadā, mit herrlichen Düften und Weihrauch, mit Blumenopfern und ebenso mit Speisegaben—so vollziehe der selbstbeherrschte Verehrer (die Verehrung).

Word by Word

• नार्मदेन: Narmadā-related
• नार्मदेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नार्मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Singular); विशेषण (उदकेन)

• उदकेन: with water
• उदकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then/next)

• गन्धधूपैः: with fragrances and incense
• गन्धधूपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः द्वन्द्वः (गन्धाश्च धूपाश्च); पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural)

• सुशोभनैः: very beautiful, splendid
• सुशोभनैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural); विशेषण (गन्धधूपैः)

• पुष्पोपहारैः: with offerings of flowers
• पुष्पोपहारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (पुष्पाणाम् उपहाराः); पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural)

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (likewise)

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings (naivedya)
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural)

• नियतात्मवान्: one whose mind/self is disciplined
• नियतात्मवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (नि-यम् धातु, क्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (मतुप्/वतुप्)
• Form: समासः बहुव्रीहिः (‘नियत आत्मा यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular); कर्तृविशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) at Mārkaṇḍeśvara-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king) is addressed in the surrounding passage (explicit vocative appears next verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined devotee performs pūjā using Narmadā-water, fragrant sandal paste, incense, flowers, and naivedya at the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred place-based devotion is perfected through disciplined worship using pure water and the standard pūjā offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā and her sanctifying waters, central to the Revākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā with Narmadā-water, fragrance, incense, flowers, and naivedya, performed with a restrained mind.