Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सरिद्वरा निशम्येति रेवा प्राह महेश्वरम् । किं वरेणेह देवेश भृशं तुच्छेन धूर्जटे

Transliteration

saridvarā niśamyeti revā prāha maheśvaram | kiṃ vareṇeha deveśa bhṛśaṃ tucchena dhūrjaṭe

Translation

Als sie dies vernahm, sprach die beste der Flüsse—Revā (Narmadā)—zu Maheśvara: „O Herr der Götter, o Dhūrjaṭi, wozu taugt hier ein Segen, so überaus geringfügig?“

Word by Word

• सरिद्वरा: the best of rivers (Reva)
• सरिद्वरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरिद्वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (Kridanta)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having heard’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• रेवा: Reva (the river Narmada)
• रेवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• महेश्वरम्: to Maheshvara (Shiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (interrogative)

• वरेण: by a boon
• वरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• देवेश: O Lord of gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• भृशम्: exceedingly
• भृशम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तुच्छेन: trifling, insignificant
• तुच्छेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘वरेण’)

• धूर्जटे: O Dhurjaṭi (Shiva)
• धूर्जटे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूर्जटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Revā (Narmadā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā-tīra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a moonlit riverbank, the personified Narmadā (Revā) addresses Maheśvara with folded hands, questioning the smallness of a proposed boon; Śiva stands serene with matted locks and crescent moon, river currents shimmering behind.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Dhūrjaṭi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A devotee seeks the highest good, not merely minor worldly favors, when approaching Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred region is being prepared for glorification through Śiva’s boons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse frames the request for a superior spiritual boon.