Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

एतासां नर्मदा श्रेष्ठा गंगा त्रिपथगामिनी । दहते किल्बिषं सर्वं दर्शनादेव राघव

Transliteration

etāsāṃ narmadā śreṣṭhā gaṃgā tripathagāminī | dahate kilbiṣaṃ sarvaṃ darśanādeva rāghava

Translation

Among these, Narmadā is the foremost; and Gaṅgā flows through the three worlds. O Rāghava, by mere sight she burns away all sin.

Word by Word

• एतासाम्: of these
• एतासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नर्मदा: Narmadā
• नर्मदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रेष्ठा: the best
• श्रेष्ठा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (Singular)

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिपथगामिनी: going in three paths (heaven/earth/netherworld)
• त्रिपथगामिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-पथ-गामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (Singular)

• दहते: burns away
• दहते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• किल्बिषम्: sin, impurity
• किल्बिषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• दर्शनात्: from (mere) seeing
• दर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• राघव: O Rāghava
• राघव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Reva (Narmadā) and Gaṅgā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śrī Rāma (Rāghava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha gestures as if indicating two mighty rivers: Narmadā as foremost on earth, Gaṅgā descending from heaven, flowing through three realms; flames of sin metaphorically burning away at her sight.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Narmadā
• Gaṅgā
• Rāghava (Śrī Rāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha is not only ritual but transformative presence—darśana of a supreme river-tīrtha itself is purificatory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The river-tīrthas Narmadā (Reva) and Gaṅgā are directly glorified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (reverent seeing) of Gaṅgā is highlighted as a potent means of purification.