Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 149

Devanagari script

सौवर्णं पात्रमादाय दुग्धेयं श्रूयते मही । वत्सस्तु मघवा चासीद्दोग्धा च सविताऽभवत्

Transliteration

sauvarṇaṃ pātramādāya dugdheyaṃ śrūyate mahī | vatsastu maghavā cāsīddogdhā ca savitā'bhavat

Translation

Mit einem goldenen Gefäß, so heißt es, wurde die Erde (Mahī) abermals gemolken. Maghavān (Indra) wurde zum Kalb, und Savitṛ (die Sonne als Antreiber) zum Melker.

Word by Word

• सौवर्णम्: golden
• सौवर्णम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पात्रम्: vessel
• पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (gerund/absolutive) = 'having taken'

• दुग्धेयम्: to be milked
• दुग्धेयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुह् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त) → दुग्धेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be milked)

• श्रूयते: is heard/it is said
• श्रूयते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• मही: the Earth
• मही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वत्सः: calf
• वत्सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrastive particle)

• मघवा: Maghavān (Indra)
• मघवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

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

• सविता: Savitṛ (Sun-god)
• सविता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (contextual attribution within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: Bhū-devī as a cow being milked into a golden vessel; Indra as the calf; Savitṛ (solar deity) as the milker, with rays like hands; Prabhāsa’s coastal horizon faintly suggested to localize the myth.

Characters & Entities

• Mahī (Earth)
• Maghavān (Indra)
• Savitṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic order assigns roles even to gods; prosperity and radiance are portrayed as regulated, dharmic gifts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is recounted within the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, contributing to the sanctity of Prabhāsa through sacred narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite; the golden vessel imagery supports themes of purity, offering, and divine stewardship.