Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

प्रसन्ना नर्मदा देवी स्तोत्रेणानेन भारत । जलेनाप्यायितान् विप्रान् दक्षिणापथवाहिनी

Transliteration

prasannā narmadā devī stotreṇānena bhārata | jalenāpyāyitān viprān dakṣiṇāpathavāhinī

Translation

ഹേ ഭാരതാ! ഈ സ്തോത്രത്തിൽ പ്രസന്നയായ ദക്ഷിണപഥവാഹിനിയായ നർമദാദേവി തന്റെ ജലത്താൽ ആ വിപ്രന്മാരെ തൃപ്തിപ്പെടുത്തി പോഷിപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• प्रसन्ना: pleased
• प्रसन्ना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Adjective (pleased/propitious)

• नर्मदा: Narmadā
• नर्मदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Proper noun

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Appositional noun

• स्तोत्रेण: by the hymn
• स्तोत्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun (by this)

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular (O Bhārata)

• जलेन: with water
• जलेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• अप्यायितान्: refreshed
• अप्यायितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ+प्या (धातु) → अप्यायित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि; Past passive participle (refreshed/satiated) qualifying विप्रान्

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• दक्षिणापथवाहिनी: the southward-flowing (river)
• दक्षिणापथवाहिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणापथ + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक); घटक: दक्षिण (विशेषण) + पथ (नाम) + वाहिनी (स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'दक्षिणापथं वहति' इति (she who flows along the southern route)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata/Pārtha (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Narmadā Devī rises from the river, serene and radiant, while brāhmaṇas on the bank receive refreshing water; the river is shown as a living goddess blessing them.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Bhārata)
• Narmadā (Revā)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Dakṣiṇāpatha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the tīrtha-deity is praised with devotion, grace manifests in practical blessing—sustenance, relief, and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā (Revā), identified as ‘Dakṣiṇāpathavāhinī’, emphasizing her sacred southern-course geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of the stotra is the cause of divine pleasure; receiving/using her water as prasāda is implied.