Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशं वृषभं धर्मवत्सलम् । समेतो मातृभिश्चैव गोभिश्च कृतलक्षणम्

Transliteration

śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaṃ vṛṣabhaṃ dharmavatsalam | sameto mātṛbhiścaiva gobhiśca kṛtalakṣaṇam

Translation

Le taureau—éclatant comme le cristal pur et dévoué au dharma—se tenait marqué de signes fastes, accompagné des Déesses-Mères et des vaches sacrées.

Word by Word

• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: resembling pure crystal
• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: Viśeṣaṇa of vṛṣabham
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + sphaṭika (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः

• vṛṣabham: the bull
• vṛṣabham: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dharma-vatsalam: fond of dharma; devoted to righteousness
• dharma-vatsalam: Viśeṣaṇa of vṛṣabham
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• sametaḥ: accompanied
• sametaḥ: Karta (elliptic subject) / predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√i (इ धातु) + क्त (PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mātṛbhiḥ: with the mothers (Mātṛs)
• mātṛbhiḥ: Sahakāraka (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• gobhiḥ: with cows
• gobhiḥ: Sahakāraka (Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• kṛta-lakṣaṇam: marked; having (auspicious) signs
• kṛta-lakṣaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa of vṛṣabham
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ धातु, क्त) + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra / Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant crystal-white bull with auspicious markings stands calmly, exuding dharma; around it gather the Mother-goddesses (Mātṛs) and sacred cows, forming a protective, sanctifying circle in a Himalayan shrine courtyard.

Characters & Entities

• Bull (Śiva’s vṛṣabha/Nandin)
• Mātṛs (Mother-goddesses)
• Cows (Go)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is honored through sacred symbols: the bull and the cow signify righteousness, stability, and protection under divine guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra region; the imagery supports Kedāranātha’s Śaiva sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is commanded, but the mention of cows supports Purāṇic dharma themes such as go-rakṣaṇa and reverence for the sacred.