Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

हंसकुदेन्दुसंकाशां हारगोक्षीरपाण्डुराम् । नानारत्नविचित्राङ्गीं स्वर्णशृङ्गां मनोरमाम्

Transliteration

haṃsakudendusaṃkāśāṃ hāragokṣīrapāṇḍurām | nānāratnavicitrāṅgīṃ svarṇaśṛṅgāṃ manoramām

Translation

Ich erblickte eine Kuh – strahlend wie ein Schwan, eine Jasminblüte und der Mond; bleich wie eine Girlande und wie Milch. Ihre Glieder waren mit vielen Arten von Juwelen geschmückt, und ihre Hörner waren golden – überaus reizvoll anzusehen.

Word by Word

• हंसकुदेन्दुसंकाशाम्: resembling a swan, jasmine, and the moon (in whiteness)
• हंसकुदेन्दुसंकाशाम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + कुद (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपमान-तत्पुरुषसमासः (हंस-कुद-इन्दु-सदृशी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हारगोक्षीरपाण्डुराम्: pale/white like a necklace and cow’s milk
• हारगोक्षीरपाण्डुराम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हार (प्रातिपदिक) + गोक्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + पाण्डुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (हार-गोक्षीरवत् पाण्डुरा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नानारत्नविचित्राङ्गीम्: having limbs adorned with various gems
• नानारत्नविचित्राङ्गीम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गिन्/अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (नानारत्नैः विचित्राणि अङ्गानि यस्याः/यस्या); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वर्णशृङ्गाम्: golden-horned
• स्वर्णशृङ्गाम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (स्वर्णमय-शृङ्गा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मनोरमाम्: lovely; charming
• मनोरमाम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Eka-arṇava vision-site (symbolic within Revākhaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpasattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous celestial cow emerges upon the ocean surface, glowing white like moon-jasmine, adorned with multicolored jewels; her horns are pure gold. The sage gazes in astonishment, hands half-raised in reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Divine Cow (mystic apparition)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In the midst of dissolution, auspicious signs appear—suggesting that dharma and divine protection can manifest even in cosmic adversity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced in this verse; it introduces a visionary figure within the Revā Khaṇḍa story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this verse is a visual description.