Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

तोयपूर्णा महाभाग मुनिसंघैरभिष्टुता । गंगाद्याः सरितश्चान्याः कल्पे कल्पे क्षयं गताः

Transliteration

toyapūrṇā mahābhāga munisaṃghairabhiṣṭutā | gaṃgādyāḥ saritaścānyāḥ kalpe kalpe kṣayaṃ gatāḥ

Translation

O greatly fortunate one, though filled with waters and praised by hosts of sages, the Gaṅgā and other rivers again and again meet their end at the close of each kalpa.

Word by Word

• तोयपूर्णा: filled with water
• तोयपूर्णा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तोय + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तोयेन पूर्णा)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् भागः यस्य)

• मुनिसंघैः: by groups of sages
• मुनिसंघैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + संघ (प्रातिपदिक; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मुनीनां संघः)

• अभिष्टुता: praised
• अभिष्टुता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तु (धातु) → अभि-ष्टुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त/PPP, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (नर्मदा implied)

• गंगाद्याः: (rivers) beginning with Gaṅgā
• गंगाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गङ्गा आदिः येषाम् = beginning with Gaṅgā)

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अपपद (गंगाद्याः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अन्याः: other
• अन्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (सरितः)

• कल्पे: in a kalpa
• कल्पे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कल्पे: in (each) kalpa
• कल्पे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (each kalpa)

• क्षयम्: destruction/end
• क्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गताः: have gone to/met
• गताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाग)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त/PPP, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विधेय (सरितः)

Speaker

Narrator in Revā-khaṇḍa dialogue context (likely a Ṛṣi addressing Yudhiṣṭhira)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (comparative mention)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (addressed as mahābhāga)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic map-like tableau of multiple sacred rivers—Gaṅgā foremost—being praised by sages, while a cosmic curtain of pralaya descends, fading them into the horizon.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Munisaṅgha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the most celebrated sacred rivers are subject to cosmic dissolution; true refuge is the timeless Dharma and the Divine behind the tīrthas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Revā (Narmadā) Māhātmya within Revā Khaṇḍa, while Gaṅgā is cited as a comparative example.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed in this verse; it is a cosmological statement used to frame tīrtha-greatness.