Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

समर्था ये न पश्यन्ति रेवां पुण्यजलां शुभाम् । जात्यन्धैस्ते समा ज्ञेया मृतैः पङ्गुभिरेव वा

Transliteration

samarthā ye na paśyanti revāṃ puṇyajalāṃ śubhām | jātyandhaiste samā jñeyā mṛtaiḥ paṅgubhireva vā

Translation

Those who are able, yet do not behold the auspicious Revā with her holy waters, should be known as equal to the congenitally blind—or even as the dead, or the lame.

Word by Word

• समर्थाः: capable (though able)
• समर्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ये)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• पश्यन्ति: see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• रेवाम्: Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुण्यजलाम्: having holy waters
• पुण्यजलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—पुण्यं जलं यस्याः/पुण्यजल- (कर्मधारयः); विशेषणम् (रेवाम्)

• शुभाम्: auspicious
• शुभाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रेवाम्)

• जात्यन्धैः: with the congenitally blind
• जात्यन्धैः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति + अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—जात्या अन्धाः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अन्वयः—‘they’ (refers to ye)

• समाः: equal
• समाः: Pratijna/Predicate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• ज्ञेयाः: should be regarded
• ज्ञेयाः: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भाव्य/विधिलिङ्गार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘to be known/considered’

• मृतैः: with the dead
• मृतैः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• पङ्गुभिः: with the lame
• पङ्गुभिः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Yama (continuing context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Narrative audience; implicitly humans capable of pilgrimage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of able-bodied pilgrims joyfully approaching the Revā; in contrast, shadowed figures turn away, depicted metaphorically as blind, lame, or corpse-like—an allegory of neglect.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual negligence—refusing sacred darśana despite ability—is treated as a grave loss, akin to living without true sight or vitality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā, praised as śubhā and puṇya-jalā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied prescription: undertake Revā-darśana (go to see the sacred river) when one is capable.