Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

शांति पुष्टिशकृन्मूत्रा वर्णपादप्रतिष्ठिता । उपजीव्यमाना जगतां पदक्रमजटाघनैः

Transliteration

śāṃti puṣṭiśakṛnmūtrā varṇapādapratiṣṭhitā | upajīvyamānā jagatāṃ padakramajaṭāghanaiḥ

Translation

Her dung and urine are peace and nourishment; she stands established upon the feet of the varṇas. All worlds live by her—by the steps of her hooves and by the thick, matted tufts of her hair.

Word by Word

• शान्ति: peace
• शान्ति: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुष्टि-शकृत्-मूत्रा: having nourishment, dung, and urine (as aspects)
• पुष्टि-शकृत्-मूत्रा: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + शकृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (पुष्टि-शकृत्-मूत्र) बहुपद; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वर्ण-पाद-प्रतिष्ठिता: established in the syllables and metrical feet
• वर्ण-पाद-प्रतिष्ठिता: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रति-स्था (धातु) → प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; प्रतिष्ठित (क्त-प्रत्यय) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• उपजीव्यमाना: being depended upon
• उपजीव्यमाना: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-जीव् (धातु) → उपजीव्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय (present passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (धेनोः विशेषणम्)

• जगताम्: of the worlds/of beings
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• पद-क्रम-जटा-घनैः: by the pada-, krama-, jaṭā-, and ghana- (Vedic recitation methods)
• पद-क्रम-जटा-घनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (पद-क्रम-जटा-घन) बहुपद; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Go-āśraya (conceptual refuge)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pastoral-sacred scene: the cow stands firm, her hooves imprinting auspicious marks; from her presence emanate waves of peace and fertility; four supportive ‘pillars/feet’ subtly symbolize varṇas; the world thrives around her.

Characters & Entities

• Varṇas (social orders)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma sustains society and nature together; the cow is portrayed as a vessel of welfare, purity, and social stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The focus is ethical-symbolic (go-mahātmya) rather than a named pilgrimage site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied use of gomaya and gomūtra in purificatory rites and the broader duty of go-sevā (care of cows).