Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । नर्मदादक्षिणे कूले देवतीर्थमनुत्तमम् । तत्र देवैः समागत्य तोषितः परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | narmadādakṣiṇe kūle devatīrthamanuttamam | tatra devaiḥ samāgatya toṣitaḥ parameśvaraḥ

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya dit : Sur la rive méridionale de la Narmadā se trouve l’incomparable Devatīrtha. Là, les devas s’assemblèrent et réjouirent Parameśvara (Śiva).

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the venerable Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• नर्मदा: of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘नर्मदायाः’ (in compound/elliptic usage)

• दक्षिणे: on the southern
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कूले: bank
• कूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवतीर्थम्: the Deva-tīrtha (divine pilgrimage place)
• देवतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• समागत्य: having assembled/come together
• समागत्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having come together’

• तोषितः: pleased
• तोषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: O king (nṛpa) (listener implied in surrounding context of Revākhaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Narmadā’s southern bank, devas gather in reverent rows offering flowers and water; Parameśvara is pleased, serene, ash-smeared, with matted locks and crescent moon, near a riverine shrine under sacred trees.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Narmadā
• Devatīrtha
• Parameśvara (Śiva)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is sanctified by divine worship: places become spiritually potent through devotion to Śiva and the presence of sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Devatīrtha on the southern bank of the Narmadā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights divine worship/propitiation of Parameśvara; specific human rites are not yet detailed here.