Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

विविशुर्नर्मदातोयं सपक्षा इव पर्वताः । द्योतयन्तो दिशः सर्वाः कुशहस्ताः सहाग्रयः

Transliteration

viviśurnarmadātoyaṃ sapakṣā iva parvatāḥ | dyotayanto diśaḥ sarvāḥ kuśahastāḥ sahāgrayaḥ

Translation

Ils entrèrent dans les eaux de la Narmadā tels des montagnes pourvues d’ailes. Tenant dans leurs mains l’herbe kuśa, les pointes dressées, ils semblaient illuminer toutes les directions.

Word by Word

• विविशुः: entered
• विविशुः: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural), परस्मैपदम्; ‘they entered’

• नर्मदातोयम्: the water of the Narmadā
• नर्मदातोयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘नर्मदायाः तोयम्’ = ‘water of Narmadā’

• सपक्षाः: winged
• सपक्षाः: Upamana (Part of simile)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; अव्ययीभावः: ‘पक्षैः सह’ = ‘with wings’

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-marker (Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्ययम् (simile particle)

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; upamāna (standard of comparison)

• द्योतयन्तः: illuminating
• द्योतयन्तः: Karta (Subject-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्योतय् (द्योत् (धातु) + णिच्) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘shining/illuminating’

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; ‘directions’

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; agrees with ‘दिशः’

• कुशहस्ताः: with kuśa-grass in hand
• कुशहस्ताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कुशः हस्ते येषाम्’ (or ‘कुश-हस्त’ as descriptive) = ‘having kuśa in hand’

• सहाग्रयः: along with the leaders/foremost
• सहाग्रयः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; अव्ययीभावः: ‘अग्रैः सह’ = ‘together with the foremost/elders’

Speaker

A Purāṇic narrator (contextual: a sage/narrator addressing a king; exact speaker not stated in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of vow-observers steps into the Narmadā holding kuśa-grass; their raised kuśa tips catch the light, making them appear like radiant ‘winged mountains’ moving into shimmering water; the four directions glow.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Kuśa (ritual grass)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching Narmadā with ritual discipline (kuśa in hand) is portrayed as a luminous, sanctifying act that purifies and elevates the devotee.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred river-tīrtha of Narmadā (Revā) itself, central to the Revā Khaṇḍa’s pilgrimage praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Entering the river for snāna while holding kuśa-grass (a common Vedic-Purāṇic ritual accessory indicating purity and intention).