Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

गावः पवित्रमतुलं गावो मंगलमुत्तमम् । यासां खुरोत्थितो रेणुर्गंगावारिसमो भवेत्

Transliteration

gāvaḥ pavitramatulaṃ gāvo maṃgalamuttamam | yāsāṃ khurotthito reṇurgaṃgāvārisamo bhavet

Translation

Kühe sind ein unvergleichlicher Reiniger; Kühe sind das höchste Heil und Glück. Der Staub, den ihre Hufe aufwirbeln, wird den Wassern der Gaṅgā gleich.

Word by Word

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• पवित्रम्: purity/purifier
• पवित्रम्: Predicate nominal (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• मङ्गलम्: auspiciousness
• मङ्गलम्: Predicate nominal (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विधेय

• उत्तमम्: supreme/best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यासाम्: of which/whose (cows)
• यासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• खुर: hoof
• खुर: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समास-पूर्वपद (member in compound)

• उत्थितः: arisen/raised
• उत्थितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्+स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; ‘arisen’

• रेणुः: dust
• रेणुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समास-पूर्वपद (member in compound)

• वारि: water
• वारि: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समास-उत्तरपद (member in compound)

• समः: equal/like
• समः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; ‘equal to’

• भवेत्: would be/may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cow walks along a Kāśī ghat path; her hooves raise a golden dust cloud that visually transforms into shimmering Gaṅgā water, blessing nearby pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Gauḥ (cow)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence to cows is portrayed as a powerful purifier and bringer of auspiciousness, comparable to the highest tīrtha merits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā is referenced as the benchmark of purification, within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s devotional landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit encouragement of go-sevā and respectful proximity (honoring cows), treating even their hoof-dust as sacred.