Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

दिव्यमायामयीं देवीमुत्कृष्टाम्बुदसन्निभाम् । नदीमपश्यद्देवेशो ह्यनौपम्यजलाशयाम्

Transliteration

divyamāyāmayīṃ devīmutkṛṣṭāmbudasannibhām | nadīmapaśyaddeveśo hyanaupamyajalāśayām

Translation

พระผู้เป็นใหญ่แห่งเทวะทอดพระเนตรแม่น้ำนั้นเป็นเทวี—อุบัติจากมายาทิพย์ ดุจเมฆอันงามเลิศ—เป็นอ่างน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์หาที่เปรียบมิได้

Word by Word

• दिव्यमायामयीम्: made of divine illusion
• दिव्यमायामयीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक) + मयी (मयट्-प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक ‘consisting of’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दिव्या माया यस्याः सा/दिव्यमायामयी)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्कृष्टाम्बुदसन्निभाम्: resembling a splendid cloud
• उत्कृष्टाम्बुदसन्निभाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्कृष्ट (उत्-√कृष् (धातु), क्त-प्रत्यय ‘excellent’) + अम्बुद (प्रातिपदिक ‘cloud’) + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक ‘resembling’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (उत्कृष्ट-अम्बुद-सन्निभा)

• नदीम्: the river
• नदीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवेशः: the lord of gods
• देवेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् ईशः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अवधारण/हेतौ

• अनौपम्यजलाशयाम्: having an incomparable water-reservoir
• अनौपम्यजलाशयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनौपम्य (अ-उपम (प्रातिपदिक) + यत्/य-प्रत्यय ‘incomparable’) + जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशय (प्रातिपदिक ‘abode/reservoir’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अनौपम्यः जलाशयः यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Narrator (a ṛṣi/purāṇic speaker addressing a king; exact speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Tīrtha-śravaṇa audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Lord of gods beholds an incomparable river-reservoir appearing as a goddess made of divine māyā, luminous like a towering rain-cloud, emanating sanctity and cool radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)
• Devī (Goddess)
• Deveśa (Lord of gods)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is not mere geography; it is Devī herself—divine power appearing as purifying water.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā, revered as a goddess and supreme jalāśaya (sacred water-abode).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse establishes the theological basis for worship and bathing in Narmadā.