Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

दीयमानां च गां दृष्ट्वा नृत्यंति प्रपितामहाः । प्रीयंते ऋषयः सर्वे तुष्यामो दैवतैः सह

Transliteration

dīyamānāṃ ca gāṃ dṛṣṭvā nṛtyaṃti prapitāmahāḥ | prīyaṃte ṛṣayaḥ sarve tuṣyāmo daivataiḥ saha

Translation

Wenn man sieht, wie eine Kuh als Gabe dargebracht wird, tanzen die Ahnen vor Freude; alle ṛṣis sind erfreut, und auch die Gottheiten sind mit ihnen zufrieden.

Word by Word

• दीयमानाम्: being given (as a gift)
• दीयमानाम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त; कर्मणि वर्तमान)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘being given’ (qualifies ‘गाम्’)

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

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त; अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• नृत्यन्ति: dance
• नृत्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• प्रपितामहाः: great-grandfathers/ancestors
• प्रपितामहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• प्रीयन्ते: are pleased
• प्रीयन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तुष्यामः: we are satisfied/pleased
• तुष्यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), बहुवचन

• दैवतैः: with the deities
• दैवतैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (postposition/particle: ‘with’)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (as dāna-kshetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ceremonial go-dāna: a donor offers a decorated cow to a worthy brāhmaṇa; above, translucent pitṛs dance in joy, ṛṣis bless, and devas shower flowers—three tiers of approval.

Characters & Entities

• Gau-dāna (cow-gift)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Ṛṣis
• Devatās

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Go-dāna is celebrated as a supremely meritorious act that brings collective satisfaction to pitṛs, sages, and gods.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma-teachings, implying heightened merit for charity in the sacred field of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform go-dāna (the gifting of a cow), a charity said to please ancestors (pitṛ-tarpaṇa fruit) and deities.