Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

नर्मदातटमाश्रित्य निवसन्ति जितेन्द्रियाः । तपःस्वाध्यायनिरता जपहोमपरायणाः

Transliteration

narmadātaṭamāśritya nivasanti jitendriyāḥ | tapaḥsvādhyāyaniratā japahomaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

S’étant réfugiés sur la rive de la Narmadā, ils y demeurent, les sens domptés—appliqués à l’austérité et à l’étude védique, voués au japa et à l’offrande au feu.

Word by Word

• नर्मदा-तटम्: the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-तटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नर्मदायाः तटम्)

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to
• आश्रित्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having resorted to/after taking refuge’

• निवसन्ति: they dwell
• निवसन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• जितेन्द्रियाः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त, √जि धातु) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम्)

• तपः-स्वाध्याय-निरताः: engaged in austerity and self-study
• तपः-स्वाध्याय-निरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (तपसि च स्वाध्याये च निरताः)

• जप-होम-परायणाः: devoted to japa and homa
• जप-होम-परायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (जपे होमे च परायणाः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Narmadā riverbank hermitage: ascetics with controlled senses sit in meditation; some recite Veda from palm-leaf manuscripts; a small sacred fire burns for homa; japa-mālā in hand; river flowing quietly with forested banks.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Sages (Saptarṣi context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography supports sacred practice: self-control and daily disciplines flourish when rooted in a tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā (Revā) riverbank, portrayed as an abode of perfected sages and spiritual discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity), svādhyāya (scriptural recitation), japa (mantra repetition), and homa (fire offerings).