Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

योगिनामुपकाराय योगिध्येयो जनार्दनः । शालग्रामेति तेनैव नर्मदातटमाश्रितः

Transliteration

yogināmupakārāya yogidhyeyo janārdanaḥ | śālagrāmeti tenaiva narmadātaṭamāśritaḥ

Translation

യോഗികളുടെ ക്ഷേമത്തിനായി, യോഗധ്യേയനായ ജനാർദ്ദനൻ നർമദാതീരം ആശ്രയിച്ചു; അതുകൊണ്ട് അവിടെ ‘ശാലഗ്രാം’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനായി।

Word by Word

• योगिनाम्: of the yogins
• योगिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• उपकाराय: for the benefit
• उपकाराय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• योगि-ध्येयः: to be meditated upon by yogins
• योगि-ध्येयः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्येय (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; ध्यै-धातोः यत्/अनीयरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'योगिभिः ध्येयः' इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (to be meditated upon by yogins)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शालग्राम: “Śālagrāma”
• शालग्राम: Sambodhana/Name-quotation
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (नामरूपे), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इति-शब्देन सह नामनिर्देश

• इति: thus/so-called
• इति: Sambandha/Quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/नामनिर्देश (quotative particle)

• तेन: by that/therefore
• तेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: 'indeed/only')

• नर्मदा-तटम्: the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-तटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; 'नर्मदायाः तटम्' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• आश्रितः: has resorted to
• आश्रितः: Kriya (Predicative action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) → आश्रित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि — 'has resorted to/has taken refuge in'

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial voice within Revākhaṇḍa; likely addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śālagrāma on Narmadā-taṭa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yogins meditate on Janārdana at the quiet Narmadā bank; the deity’s presence is subtle, emanating from the Śālagrāma locus, blessing practitioners.

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana
• Śālagrāma
• Narmadā
• Yogins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme becomes accessible through meditation and sacred geography, supporting yogic practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śālagrāma tīrtha on the Narmadā (Revā) riverbank.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditative contemplation of Janārdana (yogidhyeya) is implied as the core practice.