Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 67
षड्योजनवहा कुल्य नद्योऽल्पा द्वादशैव च । चतुर्विंशतिगा नद्यो महानद्यस्ततोऽधिकाः
ṣaḍyojanavahā kulya nadyo'lpā dvādaśaiva ca | caturviṃśatigā nadyo mahānadyastato'dhikāḥ
چھ یوجن تک بہنے والی آبگاہ کو ‘کُلیا’ کہتے ہیں؛ بارہ یوجن تک ‘چھوٹی ندیاں’ ہیں۔ جو ندیاں چوبیس یوجن تک پہنچیں وہ ‘مہانَدیاں’ کہلاتی ہیں، اور اس سے بڑھ کر ہوں تو اس سے بھی عظیم تر ہیں۔
Mārkaṇḍeya (to Yudhiṣṭhira) [contextual deduction across Revā Khaṇḍa dialogue]
Tirtha: नदी-प्रमाण-निर्णय (classification of waterways)
Type: river
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira
Scene: A sage-teacher points to a stylized map-scroll showing waterways of different lengths; three bands labeled kulyā, alpa-nadī, mahā-nadī, with pilgrims at various fords.
FAQs
Sacred geography in the Purāṇas includes concrete classifications; the ‘greatness’ of a river is framed through traditional measures, supporting graded tīrtha-merit teachings.
No single river is named, but the taxonomy supports the Revā Khaṇḍa’s broader glorification of major river tīrthas.
None directly; it provides definitions (kulyā, small river, great river) used to interpret the merit statements about bathing and proximity.