Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

गोपकन्या विदित्वेमां गोवक्त्रेण प्रवेश्य च । आकर्षिता च गुह्येन पावनार्थं चतुर्मुख

Transliteration

gopakanyā viditvemāṃ govaktreṇa praveśya ca | ākarṣitā ca guhyena pāvanārthaṃ caturmukha

Translation

« Sachant qu’elle était une jeune vachère, on la fit entrer par la bouche d’une vache, puis on la fit ressortir par le passage secret, ô Toi aux quatre visages, afin de la purifier. »

Word by Word

• गोप-कन्या: the cowherd’s daughter
• गोप-कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक) + kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘गोपस्य कन्या’

• विदित्वा: having known
• विदित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) = ‘having known/understood’

• इमाम्: this (girl)
• इमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गो-वक्त्रेण: through a cow’s mouth
• गो-वक्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘गोः वक्त्रेण’ = by/through the cow’s mouth

• प्रवेश्य: having made (her) enter
• प्रवेश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √viś (विश्) + प्र
• Form: ल्यप्/तुमुन्-समकक्ष क्त्वार्थक अव्यय (gerund) ‘प्रवेशयित्वा/प्रवेश्य’ = having made enter/after inserting

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• आकर्षिता: was drawn out
• आकर्षिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-karṣita (कृदन्त; √kṛṣ (कृष्) + आ, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कर्मणि/भूतकर्म; ‘was drawn/pulled’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• गुह्येन: by a secret means
• गुह्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘गुह्येन’ = by a secret (means)

• पावन-अर्थम्: for purification
• पावन-अर्थम्: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvana (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे ‘पावनार्थम्’ = for purification

• चतुर्मुख: O four-faced one
• चतुर्मुख: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur-mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘चत्वारि मुखानि यस्य’ = O four-faced (Brahmā)

Speaker

Unspecified (addressing Brahmā as Caturmukha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: cave

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (Caturmukha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A miraculous purification rite: a cow depicted as sacred and luminous; the maiden symbolically enters at the mouth and emerges from a hidden opening, with Brahmā witnessing; attendants react in wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Cow (symbolic/ritual vehicle)
• Gopakanyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification and transformation are central to dharma, often expressed through sacred symbols like the cow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This occurs within a Tīrthamāhātmya context in Nāgarakhaṇḍa; the exact place-name is not given in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A symbolic purification act is described—entering via the cow’s mouth and emerging via a hidden route to attain ritual purity.