Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

आज्यभागं तदा दत्त्वा गन्धर्वाय गवात्मजाः । देवानां पूर्वजानां च सूर्याचंद्रमसोस्तथा

Transliteration

ājyabhāgaṃ tadā dattvā gandharvāya gavātmajāḥ | devānāṃ pūrvajānāṃ ca sūryācaṃdramasostathā

Translation

Dann gaben die Söhne der Kuhhirten dem Gandharva den Anteil an geklärter Butter, den ājyabhāga; ebenso brachten sie Anteile den früheren Göttern dar sowie der Sonne und dem Mond.

Word by Word

• आज्यभागम्: a share/portion of ghee
• आज्यभागम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्य + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आज्यस्य भागः)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; धातुः दा

• गन्धर्वाय: to the Gandharva
• गन्धर्वाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• गवात्मजाः: the sons of the cows (cow-born ones)
• गवात्मजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गव् (गो) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गवां आत्मजाः = sons of cows/cowherd lineage)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पूर्वजानाम्: of the earlier-born/ancient ones
• पूर्वजानाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण (देवानाम्)

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

• सूर्य: of the Sun
• सूर्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समास/द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• चन्द्रमसोः: of the Moon (together: of Sun and Moon)
• चन्द्रमसोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; (सूर्य-चन्द्रमसोः = of the Sun and the Moon)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (also/thus)

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A homa is underway; ghee is offered in measured portions. The Gandharva is honored, while subtle iconographic presences of elder devas, Sun and Moon appear above the altar as recipients of the ājyabhāga.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharva
• Gavātmajāḥ
• Devas (pūrvajāḥ)
• Sūrya
• Candra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even non-standard marriage contexts are framed within sacrificial order—acknowledging cosmic powers through offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is specified; the verse focuses on ritual protocol connected to Gandharva-style marriage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Giving ājyabhāga (a ghee-offering portion) to the Gandharva and to deities such as the Sun and Moon.