Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

वरदानान्महाभागा ह्यधिका चोच्यते बुधैः । कारुण्यान्तरभावेन न मृता समुपागता

Transliteration

varadānānmahābhāgā hyadhikā cocyate budhaiḥ | kāruṇyāntarabhāvena na mṛtā samupāgatā

Translation

Because she grants boons, that greatly fortunate one is said by the wise to be even superior. Through her inner disposition of compassion, she has not ‘died away’ or diminished.

Word by Word

• वरदानान्: from boons/gifts
• वरदानान्: Apadana (Ablative/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara-dāna (प्रातिपदिक; vara + dāna)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; हेतौ/अपादान (abl. pl.)

• महाभागा: most fortunate
• महाभागा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bhāga (प्रातिपदिक; mahā + bhāga)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• अधिका: superior
• अधिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु; वचने)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (is said)

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent in passive)

• कारुण्यान्तरभावेन: by an inner disposition of compassion
• कारुण्यान्तरभावेन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāruṇya-antara-bhāva (प्रातिपदिक; kāruṇya + antara + bhāva)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतु/करण (instr. sg.)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थ निपात (negation)

• मृता: dead
• मृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √mṛ मरणे)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (not dead)

• समुपागता: has come/has attained
• समुपागता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-upa-āgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √gam गत्यर्थे with सम्+उप+आ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Revākhaṇḍa; commonly framed as Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Revā as a compassionate boon-giving goddess extending a hand of blessing to devotees; the river appears ever-flowing and luminous, symbolizing undiminishing grace.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of a tīrtha is tied to compassion and boon-bestowing grace, not merely physical presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā is praised as a compassionate boon-giving tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse motivates devotion by emphasizing boon-bestowing compassion.