Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

मया च विष्णुना सार्धं शिवेन च महर्षिभिः । विचार्य गोगुणान्नित्यं प्रार्थनेति विधीयते

Transliteration

mayā ca viṣṇunā sārdhaṃ śivena ca maharṣibhiḥ | vicārya goguṇānnityaṃ prārthaneti vidhīyate

Translation

Nachdem ich zusammen mit Viṣṇu, mit Śiva und den großen ṛṣis fortwährend über die Vorzüge der Kuh nachgesonnen habe, wird dies als Gebet verordnet.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (and)

• विष्णुना: by Vishnu
• विष्णुना: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahartha (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक (adverb/preposition: together with)

• शिवेन: by Shiva
• शिवेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय

• महर्षिभिः: by great sages
• महर्षिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• विचार्य: having reflected upon
• विचार्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having considered’

• गो-गुणान्: the qualities of cows
• गो-गुणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; गोः गुणाः इति

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala/Prakara (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• प्रार्थना: the prayer
• प्रार्थना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रार्थना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इति: (called) thus
• इति: Prayojaka (Marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देश/उद्धरणसूचक

• विधीयते: is prescribed/ordained
• विधीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; self-reference 'mayā' within Skanda’s discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/pilgrims in Kāśī-khaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial assembly: Brahmā (or the narrator’s divine voice), Viṣṇu, Śiva, and ṛṣis contemplate the virtues of the cow and formally institute a prayer; manuscripts and sacred fires indicate deliberation.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva
• Maharṣis
• Cow (Go)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cow-veneration is upheld as a universally endorsed dharma, affirmed by Śiva, Viṣṇu, sages, and the narrator.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

As part of Kāśī Khaṇḍa, the teaching supports Kāśī’s broader framework of dharma, merit, and sacred practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A formal prārthanā (prayer) is prescribed, grounded in constant contemplation of the cow’s virtues.