Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तथा लवणधेनुं च जलधेनुमथापि वा । दत्त्वा याति परं स्थानं गोमत्युदधिसंगमे

Transliteration

tathā lavaṇadhenuṃ ca jaladhenumathāpi vā | dattvā yāti paraṃ sthānaṃ gomatyudadhisaṃgame

Translation

وكذلك، مَن قدّمَ «بقرةَ الملح» أو حتى «بقرةَ الماء» عند ملتقى غوماتي بالمحيط، بلغَ المقامَ الأعلى.

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• लवणधेनुम्: a salt-cow (cow made of salt)
• लवणधेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (लवणमयी धेनुः)

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

• जलधेनुम्: a water-cow (cow made of water)
• जलधेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (जलमयी धेनुः)

• अथ: then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (then/also)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (or)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (स्थानम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

• स्थानम्: abode/place
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• गोमती-उदधि-संगमे: at the confluence of the Gomati and the ocean
• गोमती-उदधि-संगमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमती (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक) + संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (गोमत्याः उदधेः संगमः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Dvārakā Māhātmya discourse context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomātī–Udadhi-saṅgama

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the river’s mouth where Gomātī meets the ocean, a donor offers symbolic ‘salt-cow’ and ‘water-cow’ gifts; the confluence is visible with swirling currents, priests and pilgrims gathered on the ghat.

Characters & Entities

• Gomātī
• Udadhि (Ocean)
• Lavaṇadhenu (ritual gift)
• Jaladhenū (ritual gift)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even specialized symbolic gifts, when offered at a powerful tīrtha, become a direct cause for attaining the supreme spiritual destination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gomātī-udadhi-saṅgama (Gomātī river meeting the ocean) near Dvārakā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna of lavaṇadhenu or jaladhenu at the confluence.