Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

आराधयं वासुदेवं प्रभुं कर्तारमीश्वरम् । जपंस्तपोभिर्नियमैर्नर्मदाकूलमाश्रितः

Transliteration

ārādhayaṃ vāsudevaṃ prabhuṃ kartāramīśvaram | japaṃstapobhirniyamairnarmadākūlamāśritaḥ

Translation

Am Ufer der Narmadā verweilend, verehrte ich Vāsudeva — den Herrn, den Schöpfer, den höchsten Lenker — und war in Japa, Askese und geregelten Gelübden vertieft.

Word by Word

• आराधयन्: worshipping
• आराधयन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+राध् (धातु) → आराधयन् (शतृ/वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: राध् (to please/worship) with उपसर्ग आ

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रभुम्: the Lord/master
• प्रभुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे उपाधि

• कर्तारम्: the creator/doer
• कर्तारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईश्वरम्: the sovereign God
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जपन्: reciting
• जपन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) → जपन् (शतृ/वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: जप् (to mutter/recite)

• तपोभिः: with austerities
• तपोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नियमैः: with observances/discipline
• नियमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नर्मदा-कूलम्: the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-कूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नर्मदायाः कूलम्)

• आश्रितः: having resorted to / dwelling on
• आश्रितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+श्रि (धातु) → आश्रित (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकृत् (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: श्रि (to resort) with उपसर्ग आ

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating to Yudhiṣṭhira, inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā-tīra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: ‘mahābhāga’ interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Narmadā bank, the ascetic performs Vāsudeva-ārādhana: a small altar with tulasī, lamp, conch, and waterpot; the deity envisioned as four-armed Viṣṇu or Vāsudeva with śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma; the practitioner counts japa on a mālā.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Narmadā
• Japa
• Niyama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sthala-sādhana is fulfilled by combining devotion (ārādhana) with disciplined practice—japa, tapas, and niyama.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā riverbank (Revā), treated as a potent seat for worship and observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa (mantra repetition), tapas (austerity), and niyama (religious observances) while residing at the Narmadā bank.