Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

नार्मदेनोदकेनाथ गन्धधूपैः सुशोभनैः । पुष्पोपहारैश्च तथा नैवेद्यैर्नियतात्मवान्

Transliteration

nārmadenodakenātha gandhadhūpaiḥ suśobhanaiḥ | puṣpopahāraiśca tathā naivedyairniyatātmavān

Translation

Ô Seigneur, avec l’eau de la Narmadā, avec de splendides parfums et encens, avec des offrandes de fleurs et aussi des offrandes de nourriture—que le dévot au soi maîtrisé accomplisse (le culte).

Word by Word

• नार्मदेन: Narmadā-related
• नार्मदेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नार्मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Singular); विशेषण (उदकेन)

• उदकेन: with water
• उदकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then/next)

• गन्धधूपैः: with fragrances and incense
• गन्धधूपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः द्वन्द्वः (गन्धाश्च धूपाश्च); पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural)

• सुशोभनैः: very beautiful, splendid
• सुशोभनैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural); विशेषण (गन्धधूपैः)

• पुष्पोपहारैः: with offerings of flowers
• पुष्पोपहारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः (पुष्पाणाम् उपहाराः); पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (likewise)

• नैवेद्यैः: with food-offerings (naivedya)
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural)

• नियतात्मवान्: one whose mind/self is disciplined
• नियतात्मवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (नि-यम् धातु, क्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (मतुप्/वतुप्)
• Form: समासः बहुव्रीहिः (‘नियत आत्मा यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular); कर्तृविशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) at Mārkaṇḍeśvara-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king) is addressed in the surrounding passage (explicit vocative appears next verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined devotee performs pūjā using Narmadā-water, fragrant sandal paste, incense, flowers, and naivedya at the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred place-based devotion is perfected through disciplined worship using pure water and the standard pūjā offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā and her sanctifying waters, central to the Revākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā with Narmadā-water, fragrance, incense, flowers, and naivedya, performed with a restrained mind.