Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यथा कामदुघा गावो भवन्तीष्टफलप्रदाः । तथा स्वर्गापवर्गैकहैतुभूता सरस्वती

Transliteration

yathā kāmadughā gāvo bhavantīṣṭaphalapradāḥ | tathā svargāpavargaikahaitubhūtā sarasvatī

Translation

De même que les vaches kāmadughā, exauçant les vœux, accordent les fruits désirés, ainsi Sarasvatī devient l’unique cause du ciel et de la délivrance.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (Simile marker/उपमानसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• कामदुघाः: wish-yielding
• कामदुघाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + दुह् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (कामं दुहति इति)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भवन्ति: are/become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इष्टफलप्रदाः: givers of desired fruits
• इष्टफलप्रदाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट + फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (इष्टस्य फलस्य प्रदाः)

• तथा: so/likewise
• तथा: Anvaya (Correlation/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• स्वर्गापवर्गैकहैतुभूता: the sole cause of heaven and liberation
• स्वर्गापवर्गैकहैतुभूता: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग + अपवर्ग + एक + हेतु + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषप्रायः (स्वर्गस्य अपवर्गस्य च एकः हेतुः यस्या सा; हेतुभूता = 'cause-become')

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī (as svargāpavarga-hetu)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī is envisioned as a luminous river-goddess whose waters pour blessings like a wish-fulfilling cow, with pilgrims receiving boons—some shown ascending to svarga, others in meditative liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Svarga
• Apavarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A truly sanctifying tīrtha supports both worldly uplift (svarga) and the highest aim (apavarga/mokṣa).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarasvatī as a sacred river-tīrtha within the Dharmāraṇya/Prabhāsa milieu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse summarizes Sarasvatī’s supreme salvific efficacy.