Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

ररास सलिलोत्क्षेपैः क्षोभयन्ती महार्णवम् । सा मामाह महाभाग श्लक्ष्णगम्भीरया गिरा

Transliteration

rarāsa salilotkṣepaiḥ kṣobhayantī mahārṇavam | sā māmāha mahābhāga ślakṣṇagambhīrayā girā

Translation

Stirring the great ocean with upsurging jets of water, she roared. Then, in a smooth and profound voice, she addressed me: “O fortunate one…”

Word by Word

• ररास: roared, resounded
• ररास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रास्/√रस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• सलिल-उत्क्षेपैः: by splashes/throwings up of water
• सलिल-उत्क्षेपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्क्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सलिलस्य उत्क्षेपः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• क्षोभयन्ती: agitating
• क्षोभयन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षोभयत् (कृदन्त; √क्षुभ्, णिच्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) causative; Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• महा-अर्णवम्: the great ocean
• महा-अर्णवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Nominative (1st), Singular

• माम्: to me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√ब्रू (धातु; ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘महान् भागः यस्य सः’; Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्लक्ष्ण-गम्भीरया: with a gentle and deep
• श्लक्ष्ण-गम्भीरया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + गम्भीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (श्लक्ष्णा च गम्भीरा च); Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• गिरा: voice, speech
• गिरा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्/गिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, within Revā Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Divine cow (speaker) addresses the narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The divine cow roars, sending up jets of water that churn the ocean; then she turns toward the narrator, her expression calm, about to speak in a deep, gentle voice.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Ekārṇava/Mahārṇava (great ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine may appear awe-inspiring in power, yet communicates with compassion and depth to guide the devotee.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā tīrtha is highlighted through her personified presence and speech.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces the goddess’s consoling instruction that follows.