Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

योगमायामयैश्चित्रैर्भूषणैः स्वैर्विभूषिताम् । अव्यक्ताङ्गीं महाभागामपश्यत्स तु नर्मदाम्

Transliteration

yogamāyāmayaiścitrairbhūṣaṇaiḥ svairvibhūṣitām | avyaktāṅgīṃ mahābhāgāmapaśyatsa tu narmadām

Translation

He beheld Narmadā, the most blessed—adorned with her own wondrous ornaments born of yogic māyā; her limbs were subtly revealed, beyond ordinary perception.

Word by Word

• yoga-māyā-mayaiḥ: made of yogic illusion
• yoga-māyā-mayaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (योगमायया मय = made of yogic illusion)

• citraiḥ: variegated; wondrous
• citraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूषणैः इति विशेषणम्

• bhūṣaṇaiḥ: ornaments
• bhūṣaṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• svaiḥ: with her own
• svaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; स्वकीयैः (own)

• vibhūṣitām: adorned
• vibhūṣitām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√bhūṣ (भूष्) + kta (क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• avyakta-aṅgīm: with indistinct/hidden limbs
• avyakta-aṅgīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (अव्यक्तानि अङ्गानि यस्याः/या)

• mahā-bhāgām: most fortunate; illustrious
• mahā-bhāgām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्याः = very fortunate)

• apaśyat: saw
• apaśyat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश्)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Discourse particle (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• narmadām: Narmadā
• narmadām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: narmadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (a ṛṣi/purāṇic speaker addressing a king; exact speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (rājan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Narmadā appears with wondrous, self-born ornaments of yogic māyā; her body seems subtly outlined—half-revealed, shimmering like light on water—suggesting a form beyond ordinary perception.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā Devī
• Yoga-māyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred is both visible and subtle—tīrthas disclose divine mystery through yogic māyā and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā (Revā), praised as Devī whose presence transcends ordinary sensory grasp.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse emphasizes divine nature rather than a specific rite.