Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

रेवातीर्थाश्रितं पुण्यं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि शौनक । पुरा पारीक्षितो राजा यज्ञादीक्षासु दीक्षितः

Transliteration

revātīrthāśritaṃ puṇyaṃ tatte vakṣyāmi śaunaka | purā pārīkṣito rājā yajñādīkṣāsu dīkṣitaḥ

Translation

«Ô Śaunaka, je te dirai le mérite sacré qui demeure dans les tīrthas de Revā (Narmadā). Jadis, le roi Pārīkṣit avait été consacré pour les initiations du yajña.»

Word by Word

• रेवातीर्थाश्रितम्: resorting to/connected with Reva’s tīrtha
• रेवातीर्थाश्रितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रेवा + तीर्थ + आश्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'रेवायाḥ तीर्थम्' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + तदाश्रितम् (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• पुण्यम्: merit/holy (account)
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic); 'तुभ्यम्' अर्थे चतुर्थीवत् प्रयोगः सम्भवः

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• पारीक्षितः: descendant of Parīkṣit
• पारीक्षितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'परीक्षितस्य अपत्य/वंशज' इति (patronymic sense)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यज्ञादीक्षासु: in the consecrations for sacrifices
• यज्ञादीक्षासु: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; 'यज्ञस्य दीक्षा' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• दीक्षितः: initiated/consecrated
• दीक्षितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP-like adjective)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta promises Śaunaka the Narmadā tīrtha merits; a parallel vignette shows King Pārīkṣit in yajña-dīkṣā—shaven/ritually prepared, wearing simple garments, near a fire altar—symbolizing disciplined dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Śaunaka
• Pārīkṣit

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage merit (tīrtha-puṇya) is a central pillar of Purāṇic Dharma, taught through faithful listening to authorized narration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā tīrthas collectively—this is an opening pledge to expound their sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Indirectly references yajña-dīkṣā (sacrificial consecration) as the setting; no specific Narmadā rite is detailed in this verse.