Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

सवस्त्रा बद्धघंटाश्च हेमशृंगविभूषिताः । रूप्यखुरास्ताम्रपृष्ठीः कांस्यपात्रसमन्विताः

Transliteration

savastrā baddhaghaṃṭāśca hemaśṛṃgavibhūṣitāḥ | rūpyakhurāstāmrapṛṣṭhīḥ kāṃsyapātrasamanvitāḥ

Translation

Sie waren mit Tuchdecken geschmückt und mit Glocken versehen; mit goldenen Hörnern geziert, mit versilberten Hufen und kupferfarbenem Rücken, begleitet von bronzenen Gefäßen.

Word by Word

• स-वस्त्राः: with cloth coverings
• स-वस्त्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (तत्पुरुष/उपपद; ‘वस्त्रैः सह’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; qualifies धेनवः (from previous verse)

• बद्ध-घण्टाः: with bells tied on
• बद्ध-घण्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त, √बन्ध्) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (कर्मधारय; ‘बद्धाः घण्टाः यसासु’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• हेम-शृङ्ग-विभूषिताः: adorned with golden horns
• हेम-शृङ्ग-विभूषिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषित (कृदन्त, √भूष्)
• Form: समास (तत्पुरुष; ‘हेमशृङ्गैः विभूषिताः’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• रूप्य-खुराः: silver-hoofed
• रूप्य-खुराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप्य (प्रातिपदिक) + खुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (तत्पुरुष; ‘रूप्यखुराः’ = having silver hooves), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ताम्र-पृष्ठीः: copper-backed
• ताम्र-पृष्ठीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (तत्पुरुष; ‘ताम्रपृष्ठीः’ = copper-backed), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कांस्य-पात्र-समन्विताः: provided with bronze vessels
• कांस्य-पात्र-समन्विताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कांस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त, सम्√अन्वि/√इ)
• Form: समास (तत्पुरुष; ‘कांस्यपात्रैः समन्विताः’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; exact speaker not specified in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Milch-cows are covered with cloth, bells tied, horns gilded, hooves silvered, backs copper-toned; bronze vessels accompany them—an opulent yet orderly dāna procession.

Characters & Entities

• Dhenus (cows)
• Vipras (implied recipients)
• Rāma (implied donor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A gift becomes ‘complete’ when offered with care, auspiciousness, and dignity—reflecting the giver’s reverence and the sanctity of dāna.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya context remains; this verse elaborates the excellence of charitable offerings rather than a specific geographic tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dana-vidhi for go-dāna: presenting cows with auspicious adornments and accompanying vessels, indicating a well-prepared, respectful donation.