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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 72

एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोपि गयां व्रजेत् । यजेत वाऽश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत्

eṣṭavyā bahavaḥ putrā yadyekopi gayāṃ vrajet | yajeta vā'śvamedhena nīlaṃ vā vṛṣamutsṛjet

Il convient de désirer de nombreux fils: car si ne fût-ce qu’un seul d’entre eux se rend à Gayā; ou si l’un accomplit le sacrifice Aśvamedha; ou si l’un libère un taureau d’une teinte bleutée (vṛṣotsarga).

एष्टव्याःto be sought/desired
एष्टव्याः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√iṣ (इष्) / √yaj?; eṣṭavya (कृदन्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: 'to be desired/sought'); here predicative with 'पुत्राः'
बहवःmany
बहवः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootbahu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन
पुत्राःsons
पुत्राः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootputra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन
यदिif
यदि:
Sambandha (Clause linker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; शर्तवाचक निपात (if)
एकःone
एकः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (even/also)
गयाम्to Gayā
गयाम्:
Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
TypeNoun
Rootgayā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; देशवाचक
व्रजेत्should go
व्रजेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vraj (व्रज्)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
यजेतshould sacrifice
यजेत:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√yaj (यज्)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)
अश्वमेधेनwith the Aśvamedha (sacrifice)
अश्वमेधेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootaśvamedha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करणवाचक (by means of Aśvamedha)
नीलम्blue/dark
नीलम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnīla (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; 'वृषम्' विशेषणम्
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)
वृषम्a bull
वृषम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन
उत्सृजेत्should release/set free
उत्सृजेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√sṛj (सृज्) with ud-
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Sūta

Tirtha: Gayā (as exemplar) and Puṣkara (implied for vṛṣotsarga)

Type: kshetra

Scene: A householder reflects on lineage duties: one panel shows a son traveling to Gayā with offerings for śrāddha; another shows a grand Aśvamedha scene; a third shows vṛṣotsarga of a blue-hued bull—three pathways of kuloddhāra.

G
Gayā
A
Aśvamedha
V
Vṛṣotsarga

FAQs

A single dharmic achiever in the family—pilgrim to Gayā, sacrificer, or donor—can embody immense merit, making such blessings worth aspiring for.

Gayā is invoked as a benchmark pilgrimage-site of extraordinary merit; the surrounding passage remains within the Puṣkara māhātmya frame.

Going to Gayā (pilgrimage), performing Aśvamedha (major sacrifice), and vṛṣotsarga (releasing/dedicating a bull), specifically a nīla (dark/blue) bull.