Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

रक्षणाद्बालपुत्राणां गवां कण्डूयनात्तथा । क्षीणार्तरक्षणाच्चैव नरः स्वर्गे महीयते

Transliteration

rakṣaṇādbālaputrāṇāṃ gavāṃ kaṇḍūyanāttathā | kṣīṇārtarakṣaṇāccaiva naraḥ svarge mahīyate

Translation

En protégeant les veaux, en grattant et soignant les vaches, et en sauvegardant celles qui sont faibles et souffrantes, l’homme est honoré au ciel.

Word by Word

• रक्षणात्: from/through protection
• रक्षणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• बाल-पुत्राणाम्: of young calves/children (lit. young sons)
• बाल-पुत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (बालाः पुत्राः)

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• कण्डूयनात्: from/through scratching (them)
• कण्डूयनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्डूयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमार्थक (likewise)

• क्षीण-आर्त-रक्षणात्: from/through protecting the weak and afflicted
• क्षीण-आर्त-रक्षणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीण (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (क्षीणानाम् आर्तानाम् रक्षणम्) हेत्वर्थे

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम्

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• महीयते: is honored/glorified
• महीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः

Speaker

Narratorial voice (Purāṇic narrator within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the sacred precinct of Prabhāsa, a devotee gently shields calves and tends a weak cow, offering water and soothing touch; the atmosphere suggests dharma as compassionate service, with a distant shrine silhouette.

Characters & Entities

• Gāvaḥ (cows)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Small, compassionate acts of care toward vulnerable beings are counted as great dharma and yield exalted spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where everyday compassion (especially toward cows) is presented as a ladder to higher worlds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practical go-sevā: protect calves, tend/groom cows, and care for the weak and suffering.