Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । रेवाया उत्तरे कूले तीर्थं परमशोभनम् । सर्वपापहरं मर्त्ये नाम्ना वै गौतमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | revāyā uttare kūle tīrthaṃ paramaśobhanam | sarvapāpaharaṃ martye nāmnā vai gautameśvaram

Translation

ശ്രീ മാർക്കണ്ഡേയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—രേവാനദിയുടെ ഉത്തര തീരത്ത് പരമശോഭനമായ ഒരു തീർത്ഥമുണ്ട്; അത് സർവ്വപാപഹരമാണ്; മർത്ത്യലോകത്തിൽ അത് ‘ഗൗതമേശ്വരം’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധം.

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

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

• उत्तरे: on the northern
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमशोभनम्: supremely beautiful
• परमशोभनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय-समासः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• सर्वपापहरम्: removing all sins
• सर्वपापहरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + हर (प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुष-समासः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• मर्त्ये: among mortals / in the human world
• मर्त्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• गौतमेश्वरम्: (called) Gautameśvara
• गौतमेश्वरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुष-समासः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautameśvara

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya speaks to Yudhiṣṭhira, pointing to a radiant ford on the Narmadā’s north bank; a Śiva-liṅga shrine labeled Gautameśvara amid riverine trees and pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Revā (Narmadā)
• Gautameśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is salvific: approaching a divinely charged tīrtha with faith is presented as a means to cleanse sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gautameśvara tīrtha on the northern bank of the Revā (Narmadā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse introduces the tīrtha; specific rites are detailed in subsequent verses rather than here.