Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । परमेष्ठिसुतः पार्थ नारदो मुनिसत्तमः । रेवायाश्चोत्तरे कूले तपस्तेन पुरा कृतम्

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | parameṣṭhisutaḥ pārtha nārado munisattamaḥ | revāyāścottare kūle tapastena purā kṛtam

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: «O Pārtha, Nārada—Sohn des Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā) und der Beste der Weisen—übte einst Askese (tapas) am nördlichen Ufer der Revā.»

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the venerable Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + मार्कण्डेय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• परमेष्ठिसुतः: son of Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)
• परमेष्ठिसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठि-सुत (प्रातिपदिक; परमेष्ठि + सुत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पार्थ: O son of Pṛthā
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुनिसत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; मुनि + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); नारदस्य विशेषणम्

• रेवायाः: of the Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• उत्तरे: on the northern
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of कूले

• कूले: bank; shore
• कूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); ‘नारदेन’ इत्यर्थे

• पुरा: formerly; long ago
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• कृतम्: done; performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया-फल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naradeśvara (contextual, founded near Revā’s north bank)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada, identified as Brahmā’s son, performs austerities on the northern bank of the Revā; the river is central, with ascetic posture and hermitage elements.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Nārada
• Brahmā (Parameṣṭhin)
• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas arise from tapas: sustained austerity sanctifies geography and turns riverbanks into places of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The northern bank of the Revā (Narmadā) where Nārada performed tapas—setting the stage for a tīrtha’s manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is the practice highlighted, though no specific vow or rite is detailed in this verse.