Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

इमे सप्त मया साकं रेवया परिशीलिताः । एकविंशतिकल्पास्तु नर्मदायाः शिवाङ्गतः

Transliteration

ime sapta mayā sākaṃ revayā pariśīlitāḥ | ekaviṃśatikalpāstu narmadāyāḥ śivāṅgataḥ

Translation

ಈ ಏಳು (ಕಲ್ಪಗಳನ್ನು) ನಾನು ರೇವೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಮ್ಯಕವಾಗಿ ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ನರ್ಮದೆಯ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತೊಂದು ಕಲ್ಪಗಳು ಶಿವನ ಅಂಗದಿಂದಲೇ ಉದ್ಭವಿಸಿದವು ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಯಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (these)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; प्रथमा, बहुवचनार्थे (seven)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साकम्: together with
• साकम्: Sahakari (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साकम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकार्यार्थक-अव्यय (with)

• रेवया: with Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवया: Sahakari (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परिशीलिताः: have been examined/practised
• परिशीलिताः: Karta (Predicate of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + शील् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय (practised/observed/studied)

• एकविंशतिकल्पाः: the twenty-one kalpas
• एकविंशतिकल्पाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकविंशति (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (एकविंशतिः कल्पाः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• नर्मदायाः: of Narmadā
• नर्मदायाः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• शिवाङ्गतः: from Śiva’s body
• शिवाङ्गतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + तस्/तः (तद्धित/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-अर्थे (from); तत्पुरुष-आधारः (शिवस्य अङ्गतः = from Śiva's body/limb)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced from immediate narrative context continuing into Adhyāya 14)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary tableau: Śiva’s cosmic form (Mahādeva) with the river Revā streaming forth as a luminous current from his body, while the narrator and Revā together ‘observe’ the kalpas—time personified as a garland around them.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Śiva
• Narmadā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Narmadā is affirmed as intrinsically Śaiva—her sanctity is not merely symbolic but rooted in Śiva’s own being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā/Revā herself is the tīrtha—her entire river-course is treated as a living śaiva pilgrimage-field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse provides theological grounding for Narmadā-snān, parikramā, and tīrtha-sevā as meritorious acts.