Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

एष गोपसुतो दिष्ट्या प्रदोषे मंदवा सरे । अमंत्रेणापि संपूज्य शिवं शिवमवाप्तवान्

Transliteration

eṣa gopasuto diṣṭyā pradoṣe maṃdavā sare | amaṃtreṇāpi saṃpūjya śivaṃ śivamavāptavān

Translation

بحسن الطالع، هذا ابن راعي البقر، عند وقت برادوشا قرب بحيرة ماندافا، عبد شيفا حتى من غير مانترا، فنال نعمة شيفا المباركة وحاله.

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक (demonstrative)

• गोपसुतः: son of a cowherd
• गोपसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप-सुत (प्रातिपदिक); गोप + सुत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (gopa-sya sutaḥ)

• दिष्ट्या: by good fortune
• दिष्ट्या: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतौ/सौभाग्ये (by good fortune)

• प्रदोषे: at pradoṣa time (twilight)
• प्रदोषे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• मन्दवारे: on Saturday
• मन्दवारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्द-वार (प्रातिपदिक); मन्द + वार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘मन्दस्य (शनैश्चरस्य) वारः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• सरे: in the pond
• सरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘सरोवर’ अर्थे (in the lake/pond)

• अमन्त्रेण: without a mantra
• अमन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक); नञ् + मन्त्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (without mantra)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having worshipped’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शिवम्: auspiciousness / Śiva-state
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; फलरूपेण (as auspiciousness/Śiva-state)

• अवाप्तवान्: has attained
• अवाप्तवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तवान्’

Speaker

Hanūmān

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇḍavā-sara

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dusk (pradoṣa), a cowherd boy offers water/flowers to a Śiva-liṅga near a tranquil lake; the sky deepens, and a subtle radiance indicates Śiva’s grace.

Characters & Entities

• Hanūmān
• Śiva
• Maṇḍavā-saras
• Pradoṣa
• Gopa-suta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere devotion at the right sacred time and place can bear fruit even without formal mantra-recitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇḍavā-saras (Maṇḍavā lake), especially in connection with Pradoṣa worship of Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śiva-pūjā at Pradoṣa; the verse emphasizes that heartfelt worship is efficacious even without mantras.