Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

विस्तरं नर्मदायास्तु तीर्थानां मुनिसत्तम । कोऽन्यः शक्तोऽस्ति वै वक्तुमृते ब्रह्माणमीश्वरम्

Transliteration

vistaraṃ narmadāyāstu tīrthānāṃ munisattama | ko'nyaḥ śakto'sti vai vaktumṛte brahmāṇamīśvaram

Translation

ହେ ମୁନିଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ନର୍ମଦାର ତୀର୍ଥମାନଙ୍କର ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବିସ୍ତୃତ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କିଏ କରିପାରିବ? ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଓ ଈଶ୍ୱର (ଶିବ) ବ୍ୟତୀତ ଅନ୍ୟ କେହି ସମର୍ଥ ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• विस्तरम्: detailed account/extent
• विस्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नर्मदायाः: of Narmadā
• नर्मदायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis particle)

• तीर्थानाम्: of the sacred fords/pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; 'मुनिषु सत्तमः' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• अन्यः: other
• अन्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (कः इत्यस्य)

• शक्तः: able/capable
• शक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (कः इत्यस्य)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed/truly
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/assurance)

• वक्तुम्: to speak/tell
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive/तुमर्थक), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग

• ऋते: except/without
• ऋते: Avyaya (Exclusion/अपवाद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद-निपात (vinā/except) — प्रायः द्वितीयां/पञ्चमीं गृह्णाति

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Apavada (Excluded entity with ऋते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Visheshya/Visheshana (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ब्रह्माणम् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Sūta (addressing Śaunaka, inferred from next verses)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā tīrthas (collective)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka / ‘munisattama’ addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage asks about Narmadā’s tīrthas; the narrator gestures toward a vast river landscape where countless ghats, shrines, and ascetics appear in a continuous panorama, suggesting infinity.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Brahmā
• Īśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Narmadā’s sacred geography is immeasurable; humility and reverence are required when approaching tīrtha-mahātmya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The river-tīrtha complex of Narmadā (Revā) as a whole is praised, rather than a single named ford.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the emphasis is on the greatness of Narmadā tīrthas, implying pilgrimage, स्नान (snāna), and reverent approach.