Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

ततः सा ऋक्षशैलेन्द्रात्फेनपुञ्जाट्टहासिनी । विवेश नर्मदा देवी समुद्रं सरितां पतिम्

Transliteration

tataḥ sā ṛkṣaśailendrātphenapuñjāṭṭahāsinī | viveśa narmadā devī samudraṃ saritāṃ patim

Translation

അപ്പോൾ നുരക്കൂട്ടംപോലെ ഉച്ചത്തിൽ അട്ടഹസിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ദേവി നർമദാ, ഋക്ഷശൈലേന്ദ്രത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഇറങ്ങി, നദികളുടെ അധിപനായ സമുദ്രത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (nominative singular)

• ऋक्ष-शैल-इन्द्रात्: from the lord of the Ṛkṣa mountain (Vindhya range)
• ऋक्ष-शैल-इन्द्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; (ablative singular)

• फेन-पुञ्ज-अट्ट-हासिनी: she whose loud laughter was (like) a mass of foam
• फेन-पुञ्ज-अट्ट-हासिनी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फेन (प्रातिपदिक) + पुञ्ज (प्रातिपदिक) + अट्टहासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (nominative singular)

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (3rd person singular perfect)

• नर्मदा: Narmadā
• नर्मदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (nominative singular)

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (nominative singular)

• समुद्रम्: the ocean
• समुद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (accusative singular)

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• सरिताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; (genitive plural)

• पतिम्: lord, husband
• पतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (accusative singular)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating within Revā Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ṛkṣaśaila–Narmadā descent; Narmadā-samudra-praveśa

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the lordly Ṛkṣa mountain, Narmadā-devī rushes downward, laughing loudly like foaming spray; she enters the ocean, who stands as ‘lord of rivers’, waves rising to स्वागत (welcome) her.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā Devī
• Ṛkṣaśaila (mountain)
• Samudra (Ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Narmadā is portrayed as a living goddess whose journey—from mountain-source to ocean—models sacred movement from origin to fulfillment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies Narmadā’s mountain-source region and her ocean-entry, implying sanctity across her banks and confluences.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the imagery supports pilgrimage (yātrā) along the river and reverence at confluence points.