Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

नर्मदेश्वरसंज्ञं च नदीत्रितयसङ्गमः । अनेकेश्वरतीर्थं च शर्भेशं मोक्षसंज्ञितम्

Transliteration

narmadeśvarasaṃjñaṃ ca nadītritayasaṅgamaḥ | anekeśvaratīrthaṃ ca śarbheśaṃ mokṣasaṃjñitam

Translation

Et s’y trouve le sanctuaire nommé Narmadeśvara ; la confluence de trois rivières ; le tīrtha d’Anekeśvara ; et Śarbheśa, renommé comme dispensateur de la délivrance (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• नर्मदेश्वरसंज्ञम्: named ‘Narmadeśvara’
• नर्मदेश्वरसंज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नर्मदायाः ईश्वरः इति नर्मदेश्वरः; तस्य संज्ञा यस्य तत्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नदीत्रितय: of the three rivers
• नदीत्रितय: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमास (नदीनां त्रितयम्), प्रातिपदिक-रूप; (समासपूर्वपद)

• सङ्गमः: confluence
• सङ्गमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अनेकेश्वरतीर्थम्: the Anekeśvara sacred ford
• अनेकेश्वरतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अनेक-ईश्वर-सम्बद्धं तीर्थम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शर्भेशम्: Śarbheśa (a Śiva-linga/temple)
• शर्भेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शर्भस्य ईशः)

• मोक्षसंज्ञितम्: called ‘Mokṣa’
• मोक्षसंज्ञितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञित (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा/ज्ञप्? ‘to name’, past passive participle in usage)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कृदन्तः—भूतकर्मणि क्त (PPP) ‘संज्ञित’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मोक्ष-नाम्ना संज्ञितम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya/Revā-māhātmya style narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadeśvara; Nadī-tritaya-saṅgama; Anekeśvara; Śarbheśa (mokṣa-sañjñita)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Narmadā riverbank with multiple small shrines: a central Śiva-liṅga labeled Narmadeśvara, nearby a triveṇī-saṅgama with three streams meeting, pilgrims offering bilva and water; a prominent liṅga shrine of Śarbheśa signifying liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadeśvara
• Nadī-tritaya-saṅgama (three-river confluence)
• Anekeśvara Tīrtha
• Śarbheśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain Śaiva tīrthas are praised not only for puṇya but explicitly for mokṣa, showing the Purāṇic link between place, worship, and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadeśvara, the three-river confluence, Anekeśvara-tīrtha, and Śarbheśa (named as mokṣa-associated).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated; the verse is a catalog of tīrthas and their spiritual reputation (especially mokṣa for Śarbheśa).