Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

नर्मदा परमा काचिन्मर्त्यमूर्तिकला शिवा । दिव्या कामगमा देवी सर्वत्र सुरपूजिता

Transliteration

narmadā paramā kācinmartyamūrtikalā śivā | divyā kāmagamā devī sarvatra surapūjitā

Translation

ନର୍ମଦା ପରମ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ—ମର୍ତ୍ୟଦୃଶ୍ୟ ରୂପର ଏକ କଳା ଭାବେ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଶିବା। ସେ ଦିବ୍ୟ କାମଗାମିନୀ ଦେବୀ, ସର୍ବତ୍ର ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପୂଜିତ।

Word by Word

• नर्मदा: Narmada
• नर्मदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमा: supreme
• परमा: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• काचित्: a certain (one)
• काचित्: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मर्त्यमूर्तिकला: a portion/aspect of mortal embodiment
• मर्त्यमूर्तिकला: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य + मूर्ति + कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मर्त्यस्य मूर्तेः कला), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिवा: auspicious; (as) Shiva’s (feminine)
• शिवा: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिव्या: divine
• दिव्या: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामगमा: moving at will
• कामगमा: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + गमा (गम् धातु; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (यथाकामं गच्छति), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: everywhere)

• सुरपूजिता: worshipped by the gods
• सुरपूजिता: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुर + पूजित (पूज् धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सुरैः पूजिता), भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Revākhaṇḍa; commonly framed as Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā / Narmadā

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Revā/Narmadā as a radiant goddess rising from the river, bearing Śaiva aura; devas in the sky offer flowers while pilgrims at ghāṭas light lamps; the river appears both earthly and cosmic.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Śivā/Śiva
• Devas (Suras)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Revā/Narmadā is not merely water but a divine Śaiva presence accessible in the human realm, worthy of universal worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The river Narmadā (Revā) itself as a moving tīrtha, praised as Śiva’s auspicious manifestation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit worship (pūjā) is indicated through “worshipped by the gods,” though no specific rite is detailed.