Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

प्रतरन्ति निमज्जन्ति ग्लानिं गच्छन्ति जन्तवः । चतुर्विधैः प्राणिगणैर्द्रष्टव्या सा महानदी

Transliteration

prataranti nimajjanti glāniṃ gacchanti jantavaḥ | caturvidhaiḥ prāṇigaṇairdraṣṭavyā sā mahānadī

Translation

Les êtres traversent, s’immergent et tombent dans l’épuisement ; pourtant, ce grand fleuve doit être contemplé par les quatre sortes de cohortes des vivants.

Word by Word

• प्रतरन्ति: they cross over
• प्रतरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• निमज्जन्ति: they sink
• निमज्जन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ग्लानिम्: weariness, exhaustion
• ग्लानिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्लानि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गच्छन्ति: they go/come to
• गच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• जन्तवः: creatures
• जन्तवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चतुर्विधैः: of four kinds
• चतुर्विधैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—चतुर्णां विधः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; (प्राणिगणैः इति विशेष्यस्य)

• प्राणिगणैः: by groups of living beings
• प्राणिगणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणि + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—प्राणिनां गणः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• द्रष्टव्या: is to be seen
• द्रष्टव्या: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्/Future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (to be seen)

• सा: that
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महानदी: the great river
• महानदी: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—महती नदी इति कर्मधारय

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Purāṇic narration style within Āvantya Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) Mahānadī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast luminous river with strong current; beings of different realms—humans, animals, birds, and subtle beings—attempt to cross, some sinking, some emerging, yet all drawn to behold the river’s majesty.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amid weakness and struggle, the Purāṇa urges reverent darśana (sacred beholding) of Revā as a source of uplift for all beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The great river Revā (Narmadā), praised as a purifying tīrtha in the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana—coming to see/visit the sacred river; the verse emphasizes approaching the river rather than a specific vow.