Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

न विद्यते मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सत्यमुक्तमिदं मया । गंगा सरस्वती रेवा पंपा गोदावरी नदी

Transliteration

na vidyate muniśreṣṭhāḥ satyamuktamidaṃ mayā | gaṃgā sarasvatī revā paṃpā godāvarī nadī

Translation

โอ้เหล่ามุนีผู้ประเสริฐ คำที่ข้ากล่าวนี้เป็นสัตย์: แม้คงคา สรัสวตี เรวา (นรมทา) ปัมปา และแม่น้ำโคทาวรี ก็ยัง (ไม่อาจเทียบตีรถะนี้ได้)

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निषेध-निपातः (Negation particle)

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular); आत्मनेपदम्; भावे/सत्तायाम् (exists)

• मुनिश्रेष्ठाः: O best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense though nominative form used)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनाम् श्रेष्ठाः)

• सत्यम्: truthfully/true
• सत्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; adverbial/predicate use), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (Past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Karta-agent (Agent in passive/instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्दः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• गंगा: Ganga
• गंगा: Karta (Subject; listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• सरस्वती: Sarasvati
• सरस्वती: Karta (Subject; listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• रेवा: Reva (Narmada)
• रेवा: Karta (Subject; listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• पंपा: Pampa
• पंपा: Karta (Subject; listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पम्पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• गोदावरी: Godavari
• गोदावरी: Karta (Subject; listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोदावरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• नदी: river
• नदी: Karta (Subject; listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (contextual deduction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharma-tīrtha (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Munīśreṣṭhāḥ (best of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: the speaker raises a hand in oath-like emphasis (‘satya’), while behind him appear symbolic personifications of rivers—Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī, Revā, Pampā, Godāvarī—bowing toward the supreme Setu-tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Sarasvatī
• Revā (Narmadā)
• Pampā
• Godāvarī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the most celebrated sacred rivers are invoked to emphasize the exceptional, unsurpassed sanctity of the Setu tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu tīrtha(s) being praised in Setukhaṇḍa as superior even to renowned river-tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new ritual is prescribed here; the verse supports the prior claim about the tīrtha’s unmatched merit.