Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

प्रत्यहं पूजयामास गोवत्सं गत किल्बिषः । विशेषात्कृष्णपक्षस्य चतुर्द्दश्यां समागतः

Transliteration

pratyahaṃ pūjayāmāsa govatsaṃ gata kilbiṣaḥ | viśeṣātkṛṣṇapakṣasya caturddaśyāṃ samāgataḥ

Translation

Freed from sin, he worshipped Govatsa day after day; and especially he observed it on the fourteenth lunar day (caturdaśī) of the dark fortnight.

Word by Word

• प्रत्यहम्: every day
• प्रत्यहम्: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अर्थे—प्रतिदिनम् (adverb: every day)

• पूजयामास: worshipped
• पूजयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; धातोः—पूज् (to worship)

• गोवत्सम्: the calf of a cow
• गोवत्सम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोः वत्सः)

• गत: gone, removed
• गत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (भूतकृदन्त), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘गतः’ इत्यर्थे (gone)

• किल्बिषः: sin (guilt)
• किल्बिषः: Samanaadhikarana (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गस्य प्रथमा-एकवचनरूपम् ‘किल्बिषम्’ इति सामान्यं; अत्र पाठभेद/सन्ध्यभावेन ‘किल्बिषः’ (sin) इति प्रयुक्तम्

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): विशेषात् = विशेषेण/विशेषतः (especially)

• कृष्णपक्षस्य: of the dark fortnight
• कृष्णपक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (कृष्णः पक्षः)

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (locative): चतुर्दश्याम्

• समागतः: arrived, came together
• समागतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle) पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘समागतः’ = arrived/assembled

Speaker

Narratorial voice (contextual narrator within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Govatsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A repentant devotee, purified of sin, performs daily worship at a sacred spot named Govatsa; on the dark-fortnight fourteenth day he arrives with special observance, offering water, bilva, lamps, and flowers in a Śaiva setting.

Characters & Entities

• Govatsa
• Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa
• Caturdaśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular devotion at a praised tīrtha, especially on an auspicious tithi, is portrayed as a means for removal of sin and inner purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Govatsa is the focal tīrtha being honored in this passage of the Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daily pūjā (worship), with special emphasis on observance on Kṛṣṇa-pakṣa Caturdaśī.