Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

निर्द्वंद्वा त्वत्पदद्वंद्वे भक्तिरस्तु महेश्वर । श्रुत्वेति नितरां तुष्टो रेवागिरमनुत्तमाम्

Transliteration

nirdvaṃdvā tvatpadadvaṃdve bhaktirastu maheśvara | śrutveti nitarāṃ tuṣṭo revāgiramanuttamām

Translation

„Möge in mir unerschütterliche Bhakti zu dem Paar Deiner Füße erwachen, o Maheśvara.“ Als der Herr Revās unvergleichliche Worte hörte, war er überaus erfreut.

Word by Word

• निर्द्वन्द्वा: free from dualities
• निर्द्वन्द्वा: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘भक्तिः’/speaker’s state)

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (genitive sense) एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• पद: feet
• पद: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (member of compound)

• द्वन्द्वे: in (at) the pair of your feet
• द्वन्द्वे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः: त्वत् + पद + द्वन्द्व (your pair of feet)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महेश्वर: O Maheshvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (Kridanta)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having heard’

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

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

• तुष्टः: pleased
• तुष्टः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘महेश्वरः’)

• रेवा: Reva
• रेवा: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• गिरम्: the speech/words (of Reva)
• गिरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: रेवा + गिर् (Reva’s speech)

• अनुत्तमाम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘गिरम्’)

Speaker

Revā (first line); Narrator (second line)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā-tīra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Revā, radiant as a river-goddess, prays for unwavering devotion at Śiva’s feet; Śiva’s face softens with delight, blessing her with a calm, approving gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest boon is steadfast bhakti to Śiva, transcending dualities and worldly aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā is presented as a supremely devotional tīrtha aligned with Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the prescription is inner discipline—nirdvandva (freedom from dualities) and devotion.