Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मी सरस्वती मूर्तिस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । दिव्या कामगमा देवी वाग्विभूत्यै तु संस्थिता

Transliteration

brāhmī sarasvatī mūrtistriṣu lokeṣu viśrutā | divyā kāmagamā devī vāgvibhūtyai tu saṃsthitā

Translation

സരസ്വതി ബ്രാഹ്മീ മൂർത്തി, ത്രിലോകങ്ങളിലും വിശ്രുത. അവൾ ദിവ്യമായ കാമഗാമിനീ ദേവി; വാക്കിന്റെ വിഭൂതിക്കും വാക്‌ഐശ്വര്യത്തിനുമായി സ്ഥാപിതയാണ്.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मी: Brahmi, pertaining to Brahma
• ब्राह्मी: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सरस्वती: Sarasvati
• सरस्वती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मूर्तिः: form, embodiment
• मूर्तिः: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिषु: in three
• त्रिषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विश्रुता: well-known
• विश्रुता: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिव्या: divine
• दिव्या: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामगमा: moving at will
• कामगमा: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + गमा (गम् धातु; ण्वुल्/अ-प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कामेन गच्छति/यथाकामं गच्छति), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Compound member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभूत्यै: for the glory/power
• विभूत्यै: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• संस्थिता: established, stationed
• संस्थिता: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Revākhaṇḍa; commonly framed as Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī as radiant river-goddess seated on a white lotus near a gentle stream, holding vīṇā and manuscript, blessing poets and students; the river glows as 'vāk' made visible.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Brahmā
• Three Worlds (Trailokya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine rivers/goddesses embody cosmic functions: Sarasvatī supports sacred speech, learning, and auspicious accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarasvatī as a tīrtha and goddess; in this chapter she is praised alongside Gaṅgā and Revā as comparably sacred.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse highlights Sarasvatī’s role in bestowing vāk (speech) and auspicious attainments.