Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशं वृषभं धर्मवत्सलम् । समेतो मातृभिश्चैव गोभिश्च कृतलक्षणम्

Transliteration

śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaṃ vṛṣabhaṃ dharmavatsalam | sameto mātṛbhiścaiva gobhiśca kṛtalakṣaṇam

Translation

Der Stier—leuchtend wie reiner Kristall und dem Dharma innig zugetan—stand da, mit glückverheißenden Zeichen gezeichnet, begleitet von den Muttergöttinnen und den heiligen Kühen.

Word by Word

• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: resembling pure crystal
• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: Viśeṣaṇa of vṛṣabham
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + sphaṭika (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः

• vṛṣabham: the bull
• vṛṣabham: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dharma-vatsalam: fond of dharma; devoted to righteousness
• dharma-vatsalam: Viśeṣaṇa of vṛṣabham
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• sametaḥ: accompanied
• sametaḥ: Karta (elliptic subject) / predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√i (इ धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mātṛbhiḥ: with the mothers (Mātṛs)
• mātṛbhiḥ: Sahakāraka (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• gobhiḥ: with cows
• gobhiḥ: Sahakāraka (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• kṛta-lakṣaṇam: marked; having (auspicious) signs
• kṛta-lakṣaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa of vṛṣabham
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ धातु, क्त) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant crystal-white bull with auspicious markings stands calmly, exuding dharma; around it gather the Mother-goddesses (Mātṛs) and sacred cows, forming a protective, sanctifying circle in a Himalayan shrine courtyard.

Characters & Entities

• Bull (Śiva’s vṛṣabha/Nandin)
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)
• Cows (Go)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is honored through sacred symbols: the bull and the cow signify righteousness, stability, and protection under divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region; the imagery supports Kedāranātha’s Śaiva sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is commanded, but the mention of cows supports Purāṇic dharma themes such as go-rakṣaṇa and reverence for the sacred.