Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5
गंगा च यमुनाचाथ नर्मदा च सरस्वती । चतुष्टयमिदं पुण्यं धुनीषु मुनिपुंगवाः
gaṃgā ca yamunācātha narmadā ca sarasvatī | catuṣṭayamidaṃ puṇyaṃ dhunīṣu munipuṃgavāḥ
Gaṅgā dan Yamunā, Narmadā dan Sarasvatī—empat serangkai yang suci ini ialah himpunan sungai keramat di antara segala sungai, wahai muni yang utama.
Mārkaṇḍeya
Tirtha: Mahānadī-catuṣṭaya (Gaṅgā–Yamunā–Narmadā–Sarasvatī)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Munayaḥ
Scene: Four river goddesses personified, each with distinct emblems, standing as a quartet before sages; Gaṅgā most radiant, Yamunā dark-blue, Narmadā serene, Sarasvatī white-golden with vīṇā symbolism.
FAQs
The tradition highlights a foremost set of rivers whose sanctity is especially celebrated for purification and merit.
The rivers Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Narmadā, and Sarasvatī are collectively glorified as the sacred quartet.
None directly; the verse identifies the principal sacred rivers rather than prescribing a specific act.