Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

लोकोपकारहेतोश्च स्थीयतां गिरिनन्दिनि । पराशराभिधानेन नर्मदादक्षिणे तटे

Transliteration

lokopakārahetośca sthīyatāṃ girinandini | parāśarābhidhānena narmadādakṣiṇe taṭe

Translation

“عالم کی بھلائی کے لیے، اے گِری نندنی، نرمدا کے جنوبی کنارے پر ‘پاراشرا’ کے نام سے (یہیں) قیام فرما، تاکہ پاراشر سے نسبت قائم رہے۔”

Word by Word

• लोक-उपकार-हेतोः: for the sake of benefiting the world
• लोक-उपकार-हेतोः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकार (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य उपकारः; तस्य हेतुः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• स्थीयताम्: please remain
• स्थीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (स्थीयताम् = ‘स्थीयताम्’ passive/आज्ञार्थ)

• गिरिनन्दिनि: O daughter of the mountain
• गिरिनन्दिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गिरेः नन्दिनी)

• पराशर-अभिधानेन: by the name ‘Parāśara’
• पराशर-अभिधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पराशर-नाम्ना)

• नर्मदा-दक्षिणे: on the southern (bank) of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नर्मदायाः दक्षिणे)

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Parāśara

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Parāśarā-tīrtha (requested name)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Girinandinī (Mahādevī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Parāśara petitions Girinandinī to remain on Narmadā’s southern bank for the world’s welfare, under the name Parāśarā; visualize Devī’s descent into a fixed shrine/linga-like presence near a ghat, with pilgrims arriving.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Pārvatī (Girinandinī)
• Narmadā (Revā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha becomes a refuge for all when divine presence is requested and established for lokopakāra (universal welfare).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Devī-sannidhāna site on the southern bank of the Narmadā, associated with the name Parāśara/Parāśarā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act implied is prārthanā and pratiṣṭhā-bhāva—invoking and establishing the deity’s abiding presence at a place.