Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7
पापैरनेकैरशुभैर्विबद्धा भ्रमन्ति तावन्नरकेषु मर्त्याः । महानिलोद्भूततरङ्गभूतं यावत्तवाम्भो हि न संस्पृशन्ति
pāpairanekairaśubhairvibaddhā bhramanti tāvannarakeṣu martyāḥ | mahānilodbhūtataraṅgabhūtaṃ yāvattavāmbho hi na saṃspṛśanti
Selagi manusia fana, terikat oleh banyak dosa yang tidak suci, belum menyentuh air-Mu—air yang gelombangnya bangkit bagaikan rupa yang digerakkan angin besar—selagi itu mereka mengembara dalam neraka-neraka.
Devotees/pilgrims (didactic stuti within Revā-māhātmya context; exact speaker not specified in the snippet)
Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A stark contrast tableau: shadowy figures wander in hellish landscapes bound by dark cords of sin; in the foreground, the luminous Revā surges with wind-raised waves, and a pilgrim’s hand reaches to touch the water, breaking the dark bindings.
FAQs
Karmic bondage leads to suffering, but contact with the sanctifying tīrtha-waters is presented as a decisive turning point toward purification.
The Revā (Narmadā) waters themselves—emphasizing the salvific power of sparśa (touch/contact) with the river.
Touching the sacred waters is highlighted; this naturally maps to snāna (bathing) and ācamana/sparśa at the river as pilgrimage acts.