Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 187

Devanagari script

कांस्यदोहनसंयुक्तां रुक्मखुरविभूषणाम् । स्वर्णशृङ्गीं सवत्सां च ब्राह्मणायोपपादयेत्

Transliteration

kāṃsyadohanasaṃyuktāṃ rukmakhuravibhūṣaṇām | svarṇaśṛṅgīṃ savatsāṃ ca brāhmaṇāyopapādayet

Translation

Qu’il remette à un Brāhmaṇa une vache avec son veau, munie d’un récipient de traite en bronze, ornée d’ornements d’or aux sabots, et dont les cornes sont plaquées d’or.

Word by Word

• कांस्यदोहनसंयुक्ताम्: fitted with a bronze milking-vessel
• कांस्यदोहनसंयुक्ताम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कांस्य + दोहन + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; ‘कांस्य-दोहेन संयुक्ता’ (instrumental relation); संयुक्त = भूतकर्मणि-क्त

• रुक्मखुरविभूषणाम्: adorned with golden hoof-ornaments
• रुक्मखुरविभूषणाम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुक्म + खुर + विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (रुक्मखुरैः विभूषणम्/विभूषिता)

• स्वर्णशृङ्गीम्: having golden horns
• स्वर्णशृङ्गीम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण + शृङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्णशृङ्गा यस्याः सा)

• सवत्साम्: with a calf
• सवत्साम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—सह-तत्पुरुषः (वत्सेन सह)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• उपपादयेत्: should present/offer
• उपपादयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√पद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator within Revākhaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cow with calf stands adorned: golden hoof ornaments, gold-plated horns; beside her a bronze milking pot gleams. A brāhmaṇa receives the gift with kuśa grass and water-pot; the riverbank and a small shrine appear behind.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Go-dāna
• Kāṃsya (bronze)
• Svaraṇa (gold)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna is ideal when offered respectfully and wholeheartedly, enhancing the sanctity of both giver and rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The go-dāna instruction continues within the Eraṇḍī-saṅgama / Revā Khaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Donate a cow with calf to a Brāhmaṇa, accompanied by a milking vessel and auspicious adornments (gold-plated horns/hooves).