Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मी सरस्वती मूर्तिस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । दिव्या कामगमा देवी वाग्विभूत्यै तु संस्थिता

Transliteration

brāhmī sarasvatī mūrtistriṣu lokeṣu viśrutā | divyā kāmagamā devī vāgvibhūtyai tu saṃsthitā

Translation

Sarasvatī ist die brāhmīsche Gestalt, berühmt in den drei Welten. Als göttliche, wunscherfüllende Göttin ist sie eingesetzt zum Glanz und zur Meisterschaft der Rede.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मी: Brahmi, pertaining to Brahma
• ब्राह्मी: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सरस्वती: Sarasvati
• सरस्वती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मूर्तिः: form, embodiment
• मूर्तिः: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिषु: in three
• त्रिषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विश्रुता: well-known
• विश्रुता: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिव्या: divine
• दिव्या: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामगमा: moving at will
• कामगमा: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + गमा (गम् धातु; ण्वुल्/अ-प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कामेन गच्छति/यथाकामं गच्छति), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Compound member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभूत्यै: for the glory/power
• विभूत्यै: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• संस्थिता: established, stationed
• संस्थिता: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Revākhaṇḍa; commonly framed as Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī as radiant river-goddess seated on a white lotus near a gentle stream, holding vīṇā and manuscript, blessing poets and students; the river glows as 'vāk' made visible.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Brahmā
• Three Worlds (Trailokya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine rivers/goddesses embody cosmic functions: Sarasvatī supports sacred speech, learning, and auspicious accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarasvatī as a tīrtha and goddess; in this chapter she is praised alongside Gaṅgā and Revā as comparably sacred.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse highlights Sarasvatī’s role in bestowing vāk (speech) and auspicious attainments.