Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं तच्छृणुष्व नराधिप । रेवाया दक्षिणे कूले निर्मितं शूलपाणिना

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ tacchṛṇuṣva narādhipa | revāyā dakṣiṇe kūle nirmitaṃ śūlapāṇinā

Translation

ശ്രീ മാർകണ്ഡേയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ നരാധിപാ! എല്ലാ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിലെയും പരമ തീർത്ഥം അത് കേൾക്കുക; രേവയുടെ തെക്കൻ കരയിൽ ശൂലപാണി ഭഗവാൻ അതു സ്ഥാപിച്ചതാണ്।

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the venerable Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + मार्कण्डेय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तीर्थानाम्: of pilgrimage-places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-अधिप (प्रातिपदिक; नर + अधिप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• रेवायाः: of the Revā (river)
• रेवायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दक्षिणे: on the southern
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• कूले: bank
• कूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• निर्मितम्: constructed
• निर्मितम्: Karma (कर्म; described object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√मा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative)

• शूलपाणिना: by the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलपाणिना: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल-पाणि (प्रातिपदिक; शूल + पाणि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; शिवस्य विशेषणम् (epithet of Śiva)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed ‘parama-tīrtha’ on the southern bank of Revā (as introduced)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya addressing Yudhiṣṭhira: a sage seated on kuśa grass, the king listening respectfully; behind them the flowing Revā (Narmadā) with a southern-bank shrine signifying Śiva’s trident-bearing presence.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Revā (Narmadā)
• Śiva (Śūlapāṇi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma frames certain places as uniquely potent—tīrthas established by Śiva are presented as especially elevating for seekers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A ‘parama-tīrtha’ located on the southern bank of the Revā (Narmadā), attributed to Śiva (Śūlapāṇi). The specific tīrtha-name is not given in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite here; the verse introduces a tīrtha-mahātmya teaching to be heard (śravaṇa).