Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

महिषीं गृहदासीं च सुरभीं सुतसंयुताम् । हेम विद्यां तथा भूमिं रथांश्च गजवाससी

Transliteration

mahiṣīṃ gṛhadāsīṃ ca surabhīṃ sutasaṃyutām | hema vidyāṃ tathā bhūmiṃ rathāṃśca gajavāsasī

Translation

Un buffle, une servante de maison, une vache laitière (surabhī) avec son veau, de l’or, le savoir, des terres, des chars, des éléphants et des vêtements : tels sont les dons évoqués.

Word by Word

• महिषीम्: a buffalo-cow (female buffalo)
• महिषीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• गृहदासीम्: a house-servant woman
• गृहदासीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह + दासी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गृहस्य दासी)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुरभीम्: a cow (Surabhi; a good milch-cow)
• सुरभीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सुतसंयुताम्: accompanied by a calf/son
• सुतसंयुताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुत + संयुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘संयुत’ from √युज् (युज्/युजिर्) with सम्-; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुतैः/सुतस्य संयुता)

• हेम: gold
• हेम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (पदान्त-रूप: हेम)

• विद्याम्: knowledge; learning
• विद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also; likewise)

• भूमिम्: land
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गजवाससी: two elephant-cloths/elephant-hides
• गजवाससी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गजानां वाससी = गजचर्म/गजवस्त्रे)

Speaker

Vyāsa (deduced from continuity of the māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devakhāta

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of gifts arranged at a tīrtha: buffalo and cow with calf, bundles of garments, gold vessels, palm-leaf manuscripts symbolizing learning, land deed/soil basket, miniature chariot and elephant motifs—presented to priests and the needy.

Characters & Entities

• Surabhī (milch-cow as a type, not the mythic Surabhi explicitly)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma emphasizes generous dāna—supporting livelihood, worship, and learning—as a key means of accruing merit, especially at a sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The list appears within the Devakhāta māhātmya context of Dharmāraṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse enumerates types of dāna (charitable gifts) such as cow-with-calf, gold, land, vehicles, and clothing.