Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

एष गोपसुतो दिष्ट्या प्रदोषे मंदवा सरे । अमंत्रेणापि संपूज्य शिवं शिवमवाप्तवान्

Transliteration

eṣa gopasuto diṣṭyā pradoṣe maṃdavā sare | amaṃtreṇāpi saṃpūjya śivaṃ śivamavāptavān

Translation

ദൈവാനുഗ്രഹത്താൽ ഈ ഗോപപുത്രൻ മണ്ടവാ തടാകത്തിൽ പ്രദോഷസമയത്ത്, മന്ത്രമില്ലാതെയും ശിവനെ യഥാവിധി പൂജിച്ച് ശിവന്റെ ശുഭകൃപ/പദം പ്രാപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक (demonstrative)

• गोपसुतः: son of a cowherd
• गोपसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप-सुत (प्रातिपदिक); गोप + सुत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (gopa-sya sutaḥ)

• दिष्ट्या: by good fortune
• दिष्ट्या: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतौ/सौभाग्ये (by good fortune)

• प्रदोषे: at pradoṣa time (twilight)
• प्रदोषे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• मन्दवारे: on Saturday
• मन्दवारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्द-वार (प्रातिपदिक); मन्द + वार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘मन्दस्य (शनैश्चरस्य) वारः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• सरे: in the pond
• सरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘सरोवर’ अर्थे (in the lake/pond)

• अमन्त्रेण: without a mantra
• अमन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक); नञ् + मन्त्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (without mantra)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having worshipped’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शिवम्: auspiciousness / Śiva-state
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; फलरूपेण (as auspiciousness/Śiva-state)

• अवाप्तवान्: has attained
• अवाप्तवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तवान्’

Speaker

Hanūmān

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇḍavā-sara

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dusk (pradoṣa), a cowherd boy offers water/flowers to a Śiva-liṅga near a tranquil lake; the sky deepens, and a subtle radiance indicates Śiva’s grace.

Characters & Entities

• Hanūmān
• Śiva
• Maṇḍavā-saras
• Pradoṣa
• Gopa-suta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere devotion at the right sacred time and place can bear fruit even without formal mantra-recitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇḍavā-saras (Maṇḍavā lake), especially in connection with Pradoṣa worship of Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śiva-pūjā at Pradoṣa; the verse emphasizes that heartfelt worship is efficacious even without mantras.