Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

तत्र तीर्थे सुरश्रेष्ठो ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । चतुर्णामपि वर्णानां नर्मदातटमाश्रितः

Transliteration

tatra tīrthe suraśreṣṭho brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ | caturṇāmapi varṇānāṃ narmadātaṭamāśritaḥ

Translation

At that tīrtha is Brahmā, the best among the gods, the grandsire of the worlds—dwelling upon the bank of the Narmadā, a refuge for all four varṇas.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• तीर्थे: at the sacred place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सुरश्रेष्ठः: the best of the gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; सुर + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां श्रेष्ठः)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• लोकपितामहः: grandfather of the world
• लोकपितामहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक-पितामह (प्रातिपदिक; लोक + पितामह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पितामहः)

• चतुर्णाम्: of four
• चतुर्णाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सङ्ख्यावाचक) षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; वर्णानाम् इति विशेषणम्

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

• वर्णानाम्: of the social classes
• वर्णानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• नर्मदातटम्: the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदातटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा-तट (प्रातिपदिक; नर्मदा + तट)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नर्मदायाः तटम्)

• आश्रितः: having resorted to / dwelling on
• आश्रितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ब्रह्मणः)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahma-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahīpāla (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Narmadā’s steps, a serene four-faced Brahmā is envisioned in subtle radiance, with pilgrims of varied stations approaching respectfully; the riverbank is calm and sheltering.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Narmadā
• Brahmatīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha becomes supremely holy through divine presence and inclusive dharmic accessibility, welcoming all varṇas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Brahmatīrtha on the Narmadā riverbank.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated here; it establishes the sanctity and eligibility (for all four varṇas) of the Brahmatīrtha locale.