Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ततः प्रश्नाधिकारश्च प्रशंसा नर्मदोद्भवा । तथा पञ्चदशानां च प्रवाहानां प्रकीर्तनम्

Transliteration

tataḥ praśnādhikāraśca praśaṃsā narmadodbhavā | tathā pañcadaśānāṃ ca pravāhānāṃ prakīrtanam

Translation

Viennent ensuite la section des questions et l’éloge de l’origine de Narmadā; ainsi que le récit de ses quinze courants et ramifications d’écoulement.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थ (then/thereafter)

• प्रश्न-अधिकारः: the section on questions
• प्रश्न-अधिकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न + अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: प्रश्नाणाम् अधिकारः (section on questions)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• प्रशंसा: praise
• प्रशंसा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• नर्मदा-उद्भवा: (about) the origin of Narmadā
• नर्मदा-उद्भवा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर्मदा + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: नर्मदायाः उद्भवः/उद्भवा (arising/origin of Narmadā)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (also)

• पञ्चदशानाम्: of fifteen
• पञ्चदशानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास: पञ्च च दश च (15)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• प्रवाहानाम्: of streams/flows
• प्रवाहानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तनम्: the narration/proclamation
• प्रकीर्तनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; भाववाचक (act of proclaiming)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced) outlining the adhyāya’s contents

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) udbhava and pravāha-kathā

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijāḥ / sages (implied from surrounding address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic yet sacred map-like tableau: Narmadā emerging from a divine source (udbhava), then splitting into fifteen flowing ribbons labeled as pravāhas; sages in a Q&A posture—one asking, one answering—while hymnic figures offer stuti.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage teaching proceeds through inquiry (praśna) and praise (praśaṃsā), revealing the divine origin of sacred rivers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The focus is on Narmadā’s sacred emergence and her flow-system, setting the stage for multiple Revā tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it announces themes (origin and streams) that ground later tīrtha practices.