Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

नीलोत्पलदलश्यामा महत्प्रक्षोभवाहिनी । दिव्यहाटकचित्राङ्गी कनकोज्ज्वलशोभिता

Transliteration

nīlotpaladalaśyāmā mahatprakṣobhavāhinī | divyahāṭakacitrāṅgī kanakojjvalaśobhitā

Translation

അവൾ നീലോത്പലദളത്തെപ്പോലെ ശ്യാമവർണ്ണയായിരുന്നു; മഹാപ്രക്ഷോഭവേഗത്തോടെ സഞ്ചരിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു. ദിവ്യഹാടകസ്വർണ്ണാലങ്കാരങ്ങളാൽ ചിത്രീകൃതമായ അവയവങ്ങളോടെ, കനകദീപ്തിയിൽ അവൾ തിളങ്ങി।

Word by Word

• nīla-utpala-dala-śyāmā: dark like a blue-lotus petal
• nīla-utpala-dala-śyāmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + utpala (प्रातिपदिक) + dala (प्रातिपदिक) + śyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (नीलोत्पलदलवत् श्यामा) = dark like the petal of a blue lotus; विशेषणम् (प्रमदा)

• mahat-prakṣobha-vāhinī: bringing great turbulence
• mahat-prakṣobha-vāhinī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक) + prakṣobha (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (महान् प्रक्षोभः यस्याः/यया वह्यते) = causing/carrying great agitation; विशेषणम्

• divya-hāṭaka-citra-aṅgī: with limbs splendidly adorned with divine gold
• divya-hāṭaka-citra-aṅgī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक) + hāṭaka (प्रातिपदिक) + citra (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (दिव्यहाटकं यथा तथा चित्राणि अङ्गानि यस्याः) = having limbs adorned/variegated with divine gold; विशेषणम्

• kanaka-ujjvala-śobhitā: adorned with bright gold
• kanaka-ujjvala-śobhitā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ujjvala (प्रातिपदिक) + śobhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √śubh/śobh)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कनकेन उज्ज्वलेन शोभिता) = beautified by shining gold; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice within Revā Khaṇḍa; descriptive narration before the dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-devī (manifest form)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark-blue-lotus-petal-hued maiden, moving with surging force, her limbs wondrous and adorned with celestial gold; she gleams with golden brilliance against turbulent waters.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred river is portrayed as a divine presence—both awe-inspiring in power and radiant in purity—worthy of reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā (Narmadā) herself, as the principal tīrtha of the Revā Khaṇḍa within the Āvantya Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse is a devotional description (stuti-like) establishing her divinity.