Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

जामदग्न्यो महातेजाः क्षत्रियान्तकरः प्रभुः । तपः कृत्वा सुविपुलं नर्मदोत्तरतीरभाक्

Transliteration

jāmadagnyo mahātejāḥ kṣatriyāntakaraḥ prabhuḥ | tapaḥ kṛtvā suvipulaṃ narmadottaratīrabhāk

Translation

Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma), d’un éclat immense — le puissant châtieur des kṣatriya — accomplit de vastes austérités, prenant place sur la rive nord de la Narmadā.

Word by Word

• jāmadagnyaḥ: Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• jāmadagnyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāmadagnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• mahā-tejāḥ: of great splendor
• mahā-tejāḥ: Karta (Subject attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महत्तेजः यस्य सः)

• kṣatriya-anta-karaḥ: destroyer of kṣatriyas
• kṣatriya-anta-karaḥ: Karta (Subject attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षत्रियाणाम् अन्तं करोति)

• prabhuḥ: the lord/master
• prabhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + क्त्वा (absolutive)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/absolutive): ‘having done/performed’ (पूर्वक्रिया)

• su-vipulam: very extensive
• su-vipulam: Karma (Object attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अतिविपुलम्) विशेषण (tapaḥ इति)

• narmadā-uttara-tīra-bhāk: dwelling on the northern bank of the Narmadā
• narmadā-uttara-tīra-bhāk: Karta (Subject attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: narmadā (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + tīra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāj (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘भाक्’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नर्मदायाः उत्तरतीरं भजते/धारयति) ‘भाक्’ = भागी/possessor

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: नर्मदोत्तरतीर-तपोभूमि (Puṅkha-tīrtha-परिसर)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: नृप/श्रोता

Visual Art Cues

Scene: परशुराम (जामदग्न्य) तेजस्वी रूप में, परशु/धनुष के संकेत के साथ, नर्मदा के उत्तरी तट पर आसन लगाकर घोर तप कर रहे हैं

Characters & Entities

• Paraśurāma (Jāmadagnya)
• Jamadagni
• Narmadā (Revā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity performed at sacred riverbanks is portrayed as a potent means to transform destiny and sanctify a place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Puṅkhila tīrtha narrative is set on the Narmadā’s northern bank, underscoring Revā’s tīrtha network.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as the key practice performed by Paraśurāma at the riverbank.