Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

सशल्यस्तु महातेजा रेवापुत्रो वृतोऽग्निभिः । नर्मदामागतः क्षिप्रं मातरं द्रष्टुमुत्सुकः

Transliteration

saśalyastu mahātejā revāputro vṛto'gnibhiḥ | narmadāmāgataḥ kṣipraṃ mātaraṃ draṣṭumutsukaḥ

Translation

എന്നാൽ മഹാതേജസ്സുള്ള റേവാപുത്രൻ, ശസ്ത്രശല്യങ്ങളാൽ കുത്തേറ്റവനായി അഗ്നികളാൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടവനായി, മാതാവിനെ കാണാനുള്ള ആകാംക്ഷയിൽ വേഗം നർമദയിലേക്കെത്തി.

Word by Word

• सशल्यः: having wounds/embedded darts
• सशल्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शल्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (यस्मिन् शल्यानि सन्ति)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (particle)

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (महत्तेजो यस्य सः)

• रेवापुत्रः: son of Revā (Narmadā)
• रेवापुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रेवायाः पुत्रः)

• वृतः: surrounded, covered
• वृतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रियासमासार्थ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; Past passive participle, Masculine, Nom., Singular

• अग्निभिः: by fires/flames
• अग्निभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नर्मदाम्: to Narmadā
• नर्मदाम्: Gati-karma (Goal object/गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आगतः: having come
• आगतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रियासमासार्थ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; Past participle, Masculine, Nom., Singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner adjunct/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्रम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल/रीतिवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: quickly)

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तः (infinitive)

• उत्सुकः: eager
• उत्सुकः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्सुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Āvantya-khaṇḍa style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant hero—Revā’s son—still pierced by arrows, encircled by flickering fires, hastens along the riverbank toward Narmadā, his face eager and yearning despite pain.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Revāputra (Agni)
• Agnis (fires)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred river is portrayed as a compassionate mother; returning to the source of purity brings relief and restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā (Revā) herself is the holy locus, revered as a living divine presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse anticipates healing through approaching the sacred waters.