Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

किंतु पूर्वं तपस्तप्त्वा रेवया बह्वनेहसम् । वरदानोन्मुखो धाता प्रार्थितश्चेति सत्तम

Transliteration

kiṃtu pūrvaṃ tapastaptvā revayā bahvanehasam | varadānonmukho dhātā prārthitaśceti sattama

Translation

Namun terlebih dahulu, wahai yang terbaik antara orang baik, Revā (Narmadā) menekuni tapa untuk masa yang amat panjang; kemudian Dhātā, Sang Pencipta (Brahmā) yang cenderung mengurnia anugerah, didekati dan dipohonkan.

Word by Word

• किंतु: but, however
• किंतु: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंतु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle/conjunction)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, first
• पूर्वम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तप्त्वा: having performed (austerity)
• तप्त्वा: Kriyā (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• रेवया: by Reva (Narmadā)
• रेवया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• बहु: much, great
• बहु: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनेहसम्: effort, exertion
• अनेहसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वरदान: boon-giving
• वरदान: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (boon-giving)

• उन्मुखः: facing, ready, inclined
• उन्मुखः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• धाता: the Creator (Brahmā)
• धाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्रार्थितः: was requested, was entreated
• प्रार्थितः: Kriyā (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन

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

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्ति (quotative/marker)

• सत्तम: O best of the good
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Personified Revā as a radiant river-goddess performing long tapas on a riverbank/forest hermitage; Brahmā (Dhātā) appears, four-faced, lotus-seated, inclined to grant a boon.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Dhātā (Brahmā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Persistent tapas, done with faith, prepares one to receive divine grace and boons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader narrative belongs to Kāśī’s glory, though this verse focuses on Narmadā’s austerities before Brahmā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is emphasized as the preparatory dharmic act before seeking a boon.