Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

रेवातटे निरैक्षिष्ट तीर्थं चामरकंटकम् । महदायतनं पुण्यमोंकारस्यापि तत्र वै

Transliteration

revātaṭe niraikṣiṣṭa tīrthaṃ cāmarakaṃṭakam | mahadāyatanaṃ puṇyamoṃkārasyāpi tatra vai

Translation

Am Ufer der Revā erblickte er das Tīrtha namens Āmarakaṇṭaka; dort befand sich auch ein großes und heiliges Heiligtum des Oṃkāra.

Word by Word

• रेवा-तटे: on the bank of the Reva (Narmadā)
• रेवा-तटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘रेवायाः तटः’)

• निरैक्षिष्ट: (he) beheld; looked at
• निरैक्षिष्ट: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-√ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अमरकण्टकम्: Amarakantaka (place-name)
• अमरकण्टकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कर्मधारय/नामधेय-समास: ‘अमराणां कण्टकः’ इति नाम)

• महत्-आयतनम्: a great abode/shrine
• महत्-आयतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘महत् आयतनम्’)

• पुण्यम्: holy; meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular) (विशेषणम्)

• ओंकारस्य: of Oṃkāra
• ओंकारस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ-अव्यय (also/even)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Āmarakaṇṭaka (Amarkantak) on Revā-taṭa; Oṃkāra-āyatana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide riverbank of the Revā with clear flowing waters; in the distance a sacred complex—stone steps, a prominent linga-shrine labeled Oṃkāra; pilgrims and ascetics approach; the landscape suggests forested hills of Āmarakaṇṭaka.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Āmarakaṇṭaka
• Oṃkāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain sacred landscapes—riverside tīrthas and Śiva-sanctuaries—serve as providential turning points that steady the seeker’s path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Āmarakaṇṭaka on the bank of the Revā (Narmadā), along with the holy sanctuary of Oṃkāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse functions as tīrtha-identification and praise of the sanctity (puṇyatva) of the site.