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Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 111

वाक्पतिर्नैव ते वक्तुं स्वरूपं वेद नर्मदे । कथं गुणानहं देवि त्वदीयाञ्ज्ञातुमुत्सहे

vākpatirnaiva te vaktuṃ svarūpaṃ veda narmade | kathaṃ guṇānahaṃ devi tvadīyāñjñātumutsahe

ข้าแต่นรมทา แม้พระวากปติ ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งวาจา ก็ยังไม่อาจรู้วิธีพรรณนาพระรูปของพระองค์ได้แท้จริง แล้วข้าแต่พระเทวี ข้าพเจ้าจะบังอาจรู้และกล่าวถึงพระคุณของพระองค์ได้อย่างไร

वाक्-पतिःlord of speech (Bṛhaspati)
वाक्-पतिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वाचः पतिः (Bṛhaspati)
not
:
Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेधार्थक-निपात
एवindeed; even
एव:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphasis)
तेyour
ते:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootत्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; (of you)
वक्तुम्to speak
वक्तुम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive)
स्वरूपम्true form
स्वरूपम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
वेदknows
वेद:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
नर्मदेO Narmadā
नर्मदे:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootनर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन
कथम्how
कथम्:
Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)
गुणान्qualities
गुणान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
देविO Goddess
देवि:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन
त्वदीयान्your
त्वदीयान्:
Karma (Object Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootत्वदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of you)
ज्ञातुम्to know
ज्ञातुम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive)
उत्सहेI am able; I dare
उत्सहे:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउत्सह् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Vyāsa (humble self-effacement within the stotra)

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: kshetra

Scene: A lone devotee sits by the Narmadā in twilight, manuscript lowered, hands folded; above, a subtle, vast presence of the Devī suggested by light on water rather than a fully formed figure—signifying ineffability; Vākpati (Bṛhaspati) appears as a learned figure rendered speechless.

N
Narmadā Devī
V
Vākpati (Bṛhaspati motif)

FAQs

The divine is ultimately beyond complete description; humility is a mark of authentic devotion and scriptural praise.

Narmadā (Revā) as a living goddess-tīrtha whose greatness surpasses speech.

No explicit ritual; the verse models the devotional attitude (bhāva) appropriate for stotra.