Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सरिद्वरे पापहरे विचित्रिते गन्धर्वयक्षोरगसेविताङ्गे । सनातनि प्राणिगणानुकम्पिनि मोक्षप्रदे देवि विधेहि शं नः

Transliteration

saridvare pāpahare vicitrite gandharvayakṣoragasevitāṅge | sanātani prāṇigaṇānukampini mokṣaprade devi vidhehi śaṃ naḥ

Translation

Ô meilleure des rivières, ô destructrice du péché, merveilleusement parée, dont les rives sont honorées par les gandharvas, les yakṣas et les nāgas. Ô Éternelle, compatissante envers les êtres : ô Déesse qui accordes la mokṣa, établis pour nous la paix et le bien.

Word by Word

• सरिद्वरे: O best of rivers
• सरिद्वरे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सरितां वरः/वरा)

• पापहरे: O remover of sin
• पापहरे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पापं हरति)

• विचित्रिते: O wondrously adorned/variegated one
• विचित्रिते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √चित्र्/√चित्र with वि-)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• गन्धर्वयक्षोरगसेविताङ्गे: O one whose limbs are served by gandharvas, yakṣas, and serpents
• गन्धर्वयक्षोरगसेविताङ्गे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व + यक्ष + उरग + सेवित + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गन्धर्वैः यक्षैः उरगैः सेवितानि अङ्गानि यस्याः)

• सनातनि: O eternal one
• सनातनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनातनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्राणिगणानुकम्पिनि: O compassionate to multitudes of creatures
• प्राणिगणानुकम्पिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणि + गण + अनुकम्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्राणिगणेषु अनुकम्पा यस्याः)

• मोक्षप्रदे: O giver of liberation
• मोक्षप्रदे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मोक्षं प्रददाति)

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• विधेहि: grant/ordain
• विधेहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः—वि

• शम्: welfare/peace
• शम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नः: for us/our
• नः: Sambandha (Beneficiary/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचन (enclitic)

Speaker

Devotees/pilgrims (stuti within Revā-māhātmya context; exact speaker not specified in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājan (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Narmadā as the ‘best of rivers’—radiant, adorned with natural beauty; along her banks appear subtle mythic presences: gandharvas with instruments, yakṣas as guardians, nāgas near water; sages pray for peace and liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Revā/Narmadā
• Gandharvas
• Yakṣas
• Nāgas (Uraga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching the sacred river with devotion brings purification from sin and supports the highest aim—mokṣa—alongside peace and welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) as ‘best of rivers,’ including her wondrous banks and tīrtha-zones frequented by celestial beings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A direct prayer-request is made—“grant us welfare”—implying devotional acts like stuti, snāna, and reverential attendance at the river.