Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

नर्मदेश्वरसंज्ञं तत्कपिलातीर्थमुत्तमम् । करञ्जेशं कुण्डलेशं पिप्पलादमतः परम्

Transliteration

narmadeśvarasaṃjñaṃ tatkapilātīrthamuttamam | karañjeśaṃ kuṇḍaleśaṃ pippalādamataḥ param

Translation

ആ ഉത്തമ കപിലാ തീർത്ഥം ‘നർമദേശ്വര’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ അറിയപ്പെടുന്നു. അതിന് അപ്പുറം കരഞ്ജേശൻ, കുണ്ഡലേശൻ, പിന്നെ പിപ്പലാദൻ ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• नर्मदेश्वरसंज्ञम्: named ‘Narmadeśvara’
• नर्मदेश्वरसंज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर्मदेश्वर + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत्—‘नर्मदेश्वर-नामकं’

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

• कपिलातीर्थम्: Kapilā-tīrtha
• कपिलातीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कपिलायाः तीर्थम्)

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• करञ्जेशम्: Karañjeśa
• करञ्जेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करञ्ज + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (करञ्जस्य ईशः)

• कुण्डलेशम्: Kuṇḍaleśa
• कुण्डलेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्डल + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुण्डलस्य ईशः)

• पिप्पलादम्: Pippalāda
• पिप्पलादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिप्पलाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अतः: thereafter/then
• अतः: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ-प्रयोग (thereafter/from this)

• परम्: next/further
• परम्: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (further/next)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapilā Tīrtha (known as Narmadeśvara); Karañjeśa; Kuṇḍaleśa; Pippalāda

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A central linga labeled Narmadeśvara with a sage Kapila nearby, indicating Kapilā Tīrtha; then three smaller shrines under karanja and pipal trees and near a kund-like pool.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadeśvara
• Kapilā Tīrtha
• Karañjeśa
• Kuṇḍaleśa
• Pippalāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single tīrtha may carry multiple sacred names, indicating layered traditions and concentrated sanctity in the pilgrimage landscape.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kapilā Tīrtha—also called Narmadeśvara—is explicitly praised as ‘uttama’ (supreme).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse primarily provides identification and sequencing for pilgrims moving from one site to the next.