Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

रेवातीर्थाश्रितं पुण्यं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि शौनक । पुरा पारीक्षितो राजा यज्ञादीक्षासु दीक्षितः

Transliteration

revātīrthāśritaṃ puṇyaṃ tatte vakṣyāmi śaunaka | purā pārīkṣito rājā yajñādīkṣāsu dīkṣitaḥ

Translation

ഹേ ശൗനകാ! റേവാ (നർമദാ) തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ ആശ്രിതമായ പുണ്യം ഞാൻ നിനക്കു വിവരിച്ചുതരാം। പണ്ടുകാലത്ത് പാരീക്ഷിത് രാജാവ് യജ്ഞദീക്ഷകളിൽ ദീക്ഷിതനായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• रेवातीर्थाश्रितम्: resorting to/connected with Reva’s tīrtha
• रेवातीर्थाश्रितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रेवा + तीर्थ + आश्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'रेवायाḥ तीर्थम्' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + तदाश्रितम् (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• पुण्यम्: merit/holy (account)
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic); 'तुभ्यम्' अर्थे चतुर्थीवत् प्रयोगः सम्भवः

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• पारीक्षितः: descendant of Parīkṣit
• पारीक्षितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'परीक्षितस्य अपत्य/वंशज' इति (patronymic sense)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यज्ञादीक्षासु: in the consecrations for sacrifices
• यज्ञादीक्षासु: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; 'यज्ञस्य दीक्षा' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• दीक्षितः: initiated/consecrated
• दीक्षितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP-like adjective)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta promises Śaunaka the Narmadā tīrtha merits; a parallel vignette shows King Pārīkṣit in yajña-dīkṣā—shaven/ritually prepared, wearing simple garments, near a fire altar—symbolizing disciplined dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Śaunaka
• Pārīkṣit

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage merit (tīrtha-puṇya) is a central pillar of Purāṇic Dharma, taught through faithful listening to authorized narration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā tīrthas collectively—this is an opening pledge to expound their sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Indirectly references yajña-dīkṣā (sacrificial consecration) as the setting; no specific Narmadā rite is detailed in this verse.