Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

यथा गंगा महापुण्या मम मस्तकसंभवा । तद्विशिष्टा महाभागे त्वं चैवेति न संशयः

Transliteration

yathā gaṃgā mahāpuṇyā mama mastakasaṃbhavā | tadviśiṣṭā mahābhāge tvaṃ caiveti na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Sebagaimana Gaṅgā amat mulia dan penuh pahala, lahir dari kepalaku sendiri, demikian juga—wahai yang sangat berbahagia—engkau memiliki keunggulan itu; tiada keraguan.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as, just as)

• गंगा: Gaṅgā
• गंगा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• महापुण्या: very holy
• महापुण्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापुण्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती च सा पुण्या च)

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मस्तकसंभवा: born from (my) head
• मस्तकसंभवा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मस्तक + सम्भवा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (मस्तके/मस्तकात् सम्भवा = arising from the head)

• तद्: thereby/therefore (correlative)
• तद्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (tad- as 'therefore/thereby' in sandhi with viśiṣṭā)

• विशिष्टा: distinguished, superior
• विशिष्टा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• महाभागे: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभागे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative); एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् भागः यस्याः/या)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: indeed/only)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative)

• न: not, no
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Mahādeva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā (in parity with Gaṅgā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Narmadā Devī (addressed as mahābhāgā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva with Gaṅgā emerging from his head (iconic Gaṅgāvataraṇa motif) juxtaposed with Narmadā Devī receiving praise; a visual equivalence: two luminous rivers as Śiva’s sanctifying extensions.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Śiva
• Narmadā (Revā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine origin is a mark of tīrtha-power; Śiva affirms Narmadā’s sanctity alongside Gaṅgā’s famed holiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā (Revā) is praised in relation to Gaṅgā, emphasizing her standing as a foremost river-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse serves as theological validation encouraging pilgrimage, reverence, and purification practices at the river.