Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

नर्मदासलिलं रम्यं सर्वपातकनाशनम् । निरीक्षितं विशेषेण सांवौरेण महात्मना

Transliteration

narmadāsalilaṃ ramyaṃ sarvapātakanāśanam | nirīkṣitaṃ viśeṣeṇa sāṃvaureṇa mahātmanā

Translation

Les belles eaux de la Narmadā, qui détruisent tous les péchés, furent contemplées avec une révérence particulière par le grand d’âme à Sāṃvaura.

Word by Word

• नर्मदा-सलिलम्: the water of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-सलिलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘नर्मदायाः सलिलम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• रम्यम्: beautiful/pleasing
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with सलिलम्)

• सर्वपातकनाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपातकनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पातक (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘सर्वेषां पातकानां नाशनम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (सलिलस्य)

• निरीक्षितम्: was seen/observed
• निरीक्षितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्तं भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘seen/observed’

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial instrumental): ‘विशेषतः’

• सांवौरेण: by Sāṃvaura
• सांवौरेण: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांवौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देशः (by Sāṃvaura)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (person)
• महात्मना: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देशः (by the great-souled one)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sāṃvaura (tīrtha on Narmadā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A great-souled pilgrim stands at Sāṃvaura’s riverbank, hands folded, gazing at the shimmering Narmadā; the water is depicted as luminous and ‘ramya’, suggesting sanctity and beauty.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā
• Sāṃvaura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Narmadā is affirmed as supremely purifying; reverent encounter with her waters is itself a dharmic act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sāṃvaura on/near the Narmadā, within the Revā Khaṇḍa itinerary.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is commanded here; the verse stresses darśana (beholding) of Narmadā waters with special devotion.