Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ययौ देवनदीतीरे गतं शरवणं महत् । फुल्लकाशं स्वर्णमयं शरस्तंबगणान्वितम्

Transliteration

yayau devanadītīre gataṃ śaravaṇaṃ mahat | phullakāśaṃ svarṇamayaṃ śarastaṃbagaṇānvitam

Translation

Er begab sich an das Ufer der Devanadī, in den großen Hain Śaravaṇa — leuchtend vom blühenden kāśa-Gras, golden an Glanz, und erfüllt von Büscheln aus Schilfhalmen.

Word by Word

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवनदीतीरे: on the bank of the Devanadī
• देवनदीतीरे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवनदी (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवनद्याः तीरम्)

• गतम्: reached
• गतम्: Karman (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘gone/reached’ (qualifying śaravaṇam)

• शरवणम्: the Śaravaṇa (thicket/reed-forest)
• शरवणम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karman (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• फुल्लकाशम्: with blooming kāśa grass
• फुल्लकाशम्: Karman (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (फुल्लः काशः यस्मिन्/फुल्लकाशवत्)

• स्वर्णमयम्: golden
• स्वर्णमयम्: Karman (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (मय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त विशेषण (made of/like gold)

• शरस्तम्बगणान्वितम्: endowed with clusters of reed-stalks
• शरस्तम्बगणान्वितम्: Karman (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शरस्तम्बानां गणैः अन्वितम् = endowed with groups of reed-clumps)

Speaker

Sūta (narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devanadī-tīra (with Mahā-Śaravaṇa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverbank scene: the Devanadī flows calmly; a vast Śaravaṇa grove spreads along the shore. Kāśa grass plumes glow pale-gold/white, and dense reed clusters rise like spears, giving the whole bank a golden sheen.

Characters & Entities

• Devanadī
• Śaravaṇa (grove)
• kāśa grass
• reed-stalks (śara/staṃba)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrthas are revealed as luminous spaces where nature itself becomes a sign of divine presence and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Devanadī riverbank and the great Śaravaṇa grove (Śaravaṇaṃ mahat) are the highlighted sacred locale.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription here; the verse establishes the tīrtha’s sanctified setting.