Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 147

Devanagari script

वत्सः सोमस्ततस्तेषां दोग्धा चापि बृहस्पतिः । पात्रमासन्हि च्छन्दांसि गायत्र्यादीनि सर्वशः

Transliteration

vatsaḥ somastatasteṣāṃ dogdhā cāpi bṛhaspatiḥ | pātramāsanhi cchandāṃsi gāyatryādīni sarvaśaḥ

Translation

Dann wurde für sie Soma zum Kalb, und Bṛhaspati wahrlich zum Melker. Die Gefäße aber waren die vedischen Metren — Gāyatrī und die übrigen in jeder Gestalt — durch die das Wesenhafte herausgezogen wurde.

Word by Word

• वत्सः: calf (as the calf for milking)
• वत्सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सोमः: Soma
• सोमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha/Adverbial (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = 'then/from that'

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दोग्धा: milker
• दोग्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुह् (धातु) + तृच् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → दोग्धृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि-तृच् (agent noun)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Emphasis/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• बृहस्पतिः: Bṛhaspati
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पात्रम्: vessel
• पात्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• छन्दांसि: Vedic metres
• छन्दांसि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गायत्र्यादीनि: (metres) beginning with Gāyatrī
• गायत्र्यादीनि: Apposition/Qualifier (विशेषणवत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'गायत्री-आदि' = 'beginning with Gāyatrī'

• सर्वशः: in every way
• सर्वशः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = 'in every way/entirely'

Speaker

Sūta (contextual attribution within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous Vedic-ritual allegory: Soma as radiant calf (moon-like glow), Bṛhaspati as sage-priest milking, and the ‘vessels’ are personified chandas—Gāyatrī foremost—appearing as goddesses holding golden vessels into which a shining essence flows.

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Bṛhaspati
• Chandas (Vedic metres)
• Gāyatrī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge (Veda/chandas) is a conduit for divine nourishment; spiritual order channels cosmic bounty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, connecting Vedic sanctity with the glory of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse alludes to Vedic metres, implying the sanctity of Vedic recitation and disciplined transmission.