Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 150

Devanagari script

विज्ञप्तः पशुपालेन गोविन्दो ब्राह्मणोत्तमः । यावद्भोक्ष्याम्यहं स्वामिन्महिषीस्त्वं च रक्षसे

Transliteration

vijñaptaḥ paśupālena govindo brāhmaṇottamaḥ | yāvadbhokṣyāmyahaṃ svāminmahiṣīstvaṃ ca rakṣase

Translation

Le gardien du troupeau s’adressa à Govinda, le plus éminent des brāhmaṇa : «Maître, tandis que je prends mon repas, veille sur les bufflonnes».

Word by Word

• विज्ञप्तः: (was) informed/appealed
• विज्ञप्तः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘विज्ञप्त’ = informed/appealed

• पशुपालेन: by the cowherd
• पशुपालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• गोविन्दः: Govinda
• गोविन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणोत्तमः: the best of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणोत्तमः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणानाम् उत्तमः)

• यावत्: until/as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Temporal relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल-परिमाण/सीमा (until/as long as)

• भोक्ष्यामि: I will eat
• भोक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्वामिन्: O master
• स्वामिन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• महिषीः: the buffalo-cows
• महिषीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• रक्षसे: you guard/protect
• रक्षसे: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Paśupāla (direct speech within Sūta’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble herdsman requests the learned brāhmaṇa Govinda to watch the buffaloes while he eats; rural riverine landscape with fields in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Paśupāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It illustrates mutual dependence and service—social dharma operates through shared responsibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a practical instruction about guarding the herd.